Pakistan has commenced buying Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as part of efforts to deepen the economic relationship with Nigeria.
Pakistan Head of Chancery, Mr. Asim Khan, told the newsmen in Abuja that the first consignment of 70,000 metric tons of gas arrived at Pakistan’s Port Qasim in Karachi.
Khan said that the importation marked the beginning of a major business expansion between Nigeria and Pakistan in the oil and gas sector.
“In the future, we are expecting much trade in this as well as in other sectors,’’ he said.
The diplomat said that Pakistan utilised gas heavily for both domestic and generation purposes.
Prior to the commencement of gas importation from Nigeria, Pakistan was importing from Qatar to meet its domestic gas needs.
As the relationship between Nigeria and Pakistan waxes stronger, Pakistan also recently opened scholarship offer for about 50 Nigerians for undergraduate studies in science related courses at some of its higher institutions.
It also announced plans to stage an agricultural equipment and machinery exhibition in Nigeria to make its technological achievements in agriculture available to Nigerian farmers.
Agricultural machinery expected to be exhibited would include rugged tractors and other equipment that could boost small and medium enterprises growth in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Khan had also said Pakistan was determined to assist Nigeria’s efforts in realising self-sufficiency in food production.
He added that the single country agriculture equipment show would also be a channel to make durable and efficient farming equipment available to Nigerian farmers at reasonable cost.
He disclosed that Pakistani Minister for Industries and Production, Ghulam Jatoi, who attended the D8 meeting in Abuja, also held talks with the Minister of State for Investment, Trade and industries, Hajia Aisha Abubakar, on ways to further strengthen relations between the two nations.
“They agreed on cooperation in industrial development, particularly reiterating commitment to assist Nigeria’s agricultural sector.’’
Khan said that the upcoming made-in-Pakistan Agriculture exhibition was one of the strategies.
