Military textile firm possible in Nigeria – Pakistan Envoy

How do you think your country can cooperate with Nigeria to counter insurgency?We are already cooperating through training of Nigerian military in counter insurgency operation. Secondly we are cooperating with Nigerian airforce. Pakistan and Nigerian airforce are cooperating. Last year the Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff visited Pakistan, while Pakistan airfoce Marshal also came to […]

How do you think your country can cooperate with Nigeria to counter insurgency?
We are already cooperating through training of Nigerian military in counter insurgency operation. Secondly we are cooperating with Nigerian airforce. Pakistan and Nigerian airforce are cooperating. Last year the Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff visited Pakistan, while Pakistan airfoce Marshal also came to Nigeria. We are now helping each other in repairing some of the aircraft and in the training pilots. There is no limit to that. Both countries are going along to help each other. One thing in Pakistan is that because of our nuclear programme, we are subjected to long time sanctions by America, Western countries and others but despite all those sanctions, they proved to be a blessing in disguise. Because of those sanctions, we were able to produce everything ourselves within the country. Today, Pakistan has nuclear plant, missile plant, we are producing fighter jets and we are doing all these things ourselves. Despite all that you see, Pakistan is 193 million in population while Nigeria is about 170 million and you know Nigeria land area is bigger than us, but Pakistan today is not only feeding its population but also exporting rice, wheat, sugar, fruits particularly mango and orange and then Pakistan is basically a cotton economy. Nigeria used to produce a lot more cotton than Pakistan and we even imported cotton from Nigeria. Today Nigerian agriculture is not there at all. We see a lot of depletion in Nigeria’s agriculture.
Recently, Nigeria Inspector General of Police visited Pakistan, we invited them to Pakistan and we showed them some of the capabilities that are available in the country. For example, the police uniform, we say let us set up a joint uniform factory in Nigeria, it will create jobs, make quality uniforms almost at half the price that you are importing from outside.
What about the quality of the uniform?
Australian Army, American Army are getting their uniforms from Pakistan. The quality is good.
Why has Pakistan not been so much involved in the Nigeria textile industry?
You see the problem is that there are no direct flights and shipping lines between Pakistan and Nigeria. This whole thing depends on enabler and they are the government. The people have already come but they want the governments to create an enabling environment for that. For example, why can’t we have direct flight between Kano, Abuja, Lagos and Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.  Certainly there could be a greater possibility with direct airlines. Secondly, there is problem with the shipping lines, anybody who ships good from Karachi to Lagos or from Lagos to Karachi, it doesn’t go directly, it goes to South Africa from there it goes to Dubai then it goes to Karachi and it takes 45 to 60 days and when you open up an account with any bank, for import and export, it cost money.
How soon will the opportunity of opening a joint textile industry in Nigeria be?
We are working on that, the proposal has already been discussed and the Nigerian High Commissioner in Pakistan is in contact with the people and I also discussed the same thing with the Inspector General of Police and they are also working on that. Let us hope that we will do that as soon as possible.
What about your agriculture is there something your big players can do in terms of cotton probably because you are good at it and have the best varieties available. Is there something you can do on that?
We can do that and there are people who are prepared to do that but as I said the enabling environment has to be there. You see today, there is no mutual investment agreement between Pakistan and Nigeria. For example investors want to invest in Pakistan they want to make sure that their investment is safe.
Similarly, we need to have some kind of banking arrangement where you should repackage and perfect everything without any problem. With that in view, we are now working on a Bi-lateral Investment Treaty with Nigeria. It is almost finalized. The only remaining point so far is opening up of the bank branches. We have proposed that we should be able to open three bank branches in each country.
Another problem in Nigeria is the unemployment rate because Pakistan is an agricultural economy, the country has a very low rate of unemployment. Agriculture absorbs a lot of labour and it will naturally create jobs and provide foods.
Unless and until Nigeria revives its agriculture, the country may not be able to ensure employment for the people. Pakistan is manufacturing hundred percent of its agricultural machineries. All tractors, all agricultural equipment are made in Pakistan. Not a single thing is imported. People may import for their own sake and out of their own pleasure but not because of scarcity or no other alternative.
What about the Pakistani business people, what is their interest in the Nigeria economy and society?
There are few Pakistani who are business men, there are also some who transport goods here while some own small ships on the sea. Others are working with the multi-national corporations in ICT sector, managerial field. Very recently, we have a Pakistani who has come here as adviser to the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). We also have some of them working in the power sector and Pakistani have one of the largest gas pipeline in the world. We have a good irrigation and gas pipeline network and Pakistan have lots of experience and we can help Nigeria to link the gas pipelines and put the irrigation system right. Because of our close proximity to Middle East we buy most of our oil from there and import it over land.
Nigeria mostly exports its oil and there is iron ore from Nigeria. Importation of oil from Nigeria become a little more costly but the government can make an arrangement on the transportation. Mostly Nigeria hides and skin is at great demand in Pakistan because we have a very good shoe industry. Some cashew nuts go from here. Pakistani rice is imported too.
What advice would you give Nigeria to achieve success in rice production like Pakistan which the minister and government are talking about?   
I have heard the figures given by the minister of agriculture. There is no point doubting that but it will have to show how much impact does it have on the overall reduction on import because there is reason for smuggling rice. We should also ask how much encouragement does local farmers get from the government, how much has been the local production? What is important is when you have the total figures of what is being smuggled into Nigeria, only then one would be able to figure out how much are produced locally and it is very difficult to estimate that. This is where we are today. You see Pakistan agriculture production, for instance if I buy a tractor, I will use it for twenty years but what I have seen in Nigeria they can use tractor for only two years then it will start developing fault. The problem is you do not have the spare workshop to repair or maintain the facilities. This is where Pakistan can help Nigeria in a very big way. We can set up workshops, we can set up spare shops and we can provide those kinds of facilities to Nigerian farmers.