Tunis: Tunisian industrialists will shortly have an industrial site at their disposal in Niamey, Niger, to launch their projects, said President of the Tunisia-Niger economic interest grouping Karim Ben Farhat.
The site is expected to extend over 20 hectares, he further told TAP as a business mission got underway in Niamey on May 4-9. The announcement, he added, was made by Nigerien Trade and Industry Minister Seydou Asman.
The Nigerian minister agreed in principle when meeting on Tuesday with a number of Tunisian private entrepreneurs. This will signal the effective start of partnership and investment between the two countries, Ben Farhat said.
Several investment projects in a wide range of fields are due to be carried out, mainly in the hydraulics sector, the food sector and feedingstuffs.
The Nigerien minister also urged Tunisian investors to expedite the implementation of win-win partnership projects as part of their unwavering commitment to invest in Niger. Economic growth in Niger is expected to hit
an unprecendented level, he also said.
Nigerien Minister of Town Planning, Housing and Sanitation Salissou Sahirou Adamou also agreed in principle as he met with some Tunisian private entrepreneurs to granting a plot of land to Tunisian entrepreneurs participating currently in the business mission to build about 500 social housing units, in partnership with Nigerien government.
In another connection, Ben Farhat said Tunisian health professionals are keen to set up a diagnostic centre as well as private healthcare facilities in Niger.
Thirty-five Tunisian enterprises in various sectors of activity, mainly agriculture, energy, the telecom sector, health providers, pharmaceuticals, the digital industry and public works, attended the Tunisia-Niger Business Forum held on May 6 in Niamey, Ben Farhat said. The event saw the participation of 350 Nigerien business operators.
Head of the Exports Promotion Centre (French: CEPEX) sales representative office in Abidjan Noamen Hamdani told forum attendees about 60 ente
rprises (excluding the sector of services) are exporting their products to Niger but only five are exporting on a regular basis.
“These exports are mainly food products (couscous, flour) and products of mechanical and electrical engineering industries (cables and transformers),” he added.
Tunisian exports to Niger are still modest, notwithstanding existing opportunities, amounting to TND 20 million in 2023 against TND 45 million in 2021.
Niger’s imports in 2022 totalled nearly TND 10.191 million, including pasta products, biscuits, structures, iron works, medical and surgery equipment. Nigerien exports to Tunisia amounted to $31,000.
The business mission is organised by the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (French: UTICA)’s Association of Export Advisers and the Economic Interest Grouping (Tunisia-Niger Development), in collaboration with the Niger Ministry of Trade and Industry.
It is designed to secure a better presence of Tunisian products in Niger and Nigerien products in Tun
isia and boost trade between the two countries.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse