News exchange between the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) will provide entrepreneurs in both countries with relevant information about trade fairs and other business opportunities, according to an official.
The Director-General of BTA, Mr Kiril Valchev said this during an interview in Abuja.
He said this after BTA signed a news exchange agreement with NAN, a development that will also see the Bulgarian news agency training reporters of NAN.
Valchev signed the agreement on behalf of BTA while the Managing Director of NAN, Mr Buki Ponle, signed for the Nigerian agency.
The director-general explained that based on news reports about happenings in Nigeria, Bulgarian companies would be able to participate in the 36th Lagos State Trade Fair scheduled to hold from Nov. 4 to Nov. 13 at the Tafawa Balewa Square.
The trade fair, according to the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is aimed at promoting economic integration as well as boosting intra-African trade and Nigeria’s Foreign Direct Investment.
Valchev, who described the trade fair in Lagos as the biggest fair in Africa, said that the commercial exhibition would have Bulgarian companies in massive attendance and that BTA would accord the event good press.
“This will create a way to invite Bulgarian companies to come and participate in the fair.
“We also have a great trade fair in Bulgaria and it will be interesting for Nigerian companies to come and participate in our fair, but the key point is to know that we have this kind of fair.
“That’s why we will start not only to exchange news, we will also exchange journalists, and reporters to cover these fairs,’’ he said.
In a related development, an Ilorin-based Information and Communication Technology ( ICT) Expert, Mr Johnson Afolabi, has urged the Federal Government to invest in science and technology so as to boost the Nigeria’s economy.
Afolabi, the Chief Executive Officer, Folab Tech, who made the call in Ilorin on Saturday, said that government should encourage innovation and inventions via science.
According to him, Nigeria needs to key into new technological innovations and ideas to revive its fallen economy.
“Government must invest in ICT and witness rapid economic growth in Nigeria. It must also prioritise ICT in order for the country to attain greatness.
“Nigeria is blessed with many researchers. Government should, therefore, stop depending too much on foreign experts to improve the economy.
“Nigeria is also blessed with reliable and certified engineers who are making waves across the world. They are capable and up to the task and they are not push-over when it comes to creativity and innovations,” he said.
The expert stated that government should learn from China and other technologically-advanced nations of the world on how to explore science and technology to improve the nation’s economy.
