About Taipei Trade Office
Origin:
The citizens of Republic of China (Taiwan) and Nigeria have for decades engaged each other in informal and semi-formal mutual economic commerce, education and cultural relations. Nevertheless, in the late 1980s, the governments of Taiwan and Nigeria led by Presidents Lee Teng-hui and Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, respectively, began exploration of more robust ties. In 1990, their efforts resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
As the two countries are yet to establish formal diplomatic relationship that will necessitate the establishment of Embassy in each other’s territory, but in keeping with the provision of the extant MoU, the Taipei Trade Office in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, formally known as “The Trade Mission of the ROC (Taiwan),” represents the interests of Taiwan Government in Nigeria. The MoU provides for the reciprocal establishment of Trade Offices for the promotion of trade, investment and other economic relations between the two countries.
The Taipei Mission in Nigeria was established in April 1991 in Lagos, while the Nigeria Trade Office in Taiwan was established in November 1992. Following the movement of Foreign Missions and offices to Abuja, the new capital city of Nigeria, the Trade Mission also relocated to Abuja in 2001. However, in 2017 due to directive by the Nigerian government, the Taipei Mission relocated back to Lagos and changed the title to Taipei Trade Office in Nigeria.
Nigeria which is Africa’s leading economy is Taiwan’s third largest trading partner in the African continent, after Angola and South Africa. In 2010, the trade volume between the two countries reached US$788 million, with prospect for future growth if the various agreements currently in the works are diligently implemented by both sides. Taiwan and Nigeria are equal members of the World trade Organization (WTO) and are working continuously linking their import and export banks for the purposes of trade facilitation.
Jurisdiction:
The Taipei Trade Office serves and protects the interests of Taiwanese expatriates in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, d’lvoire, Liberia, Sierra Lion and Gambia.
In these countries under the Trade office’s sphere of operation, the office serves to promote economic, trade, cultural, educational, scientific, financial, and other exchanges and encourage cooperation between Taiwan and these countries.
FUNCTIONS IN NIGERIA:
- Providing Consular services in furtherance of the spirit of the MoU to facilitate exchange of Government to Government, People to People relations from either side in accordance with relevant Consular regulations.
- Providing information on trade, investment, regulations on imports to Taiwan, and liaising with relevant authorities and organizations interested in doing business with Taiwan.
- Encouraging government functionaries to participate in various fora and training, both online and physically to upscale their knowledge in their chosen fields of specialization.
- Awarding scholarships to qualified Nigerian scholars to study in Taiwan’s Higher Institutions.
- Promoting Trade Fairs in Taiwan and in Nigeria, to enable Nigerians easy access to innovative products and machinery from Taiwan.
- Promoting culture, arts and tourism for better understanding of each side.
- Providing information on latest Taiwanese technological innovations to assist businesses in Nigeria to grow.
TAIWAN’S EXPORTS TO NIGERIA:
Taiwan exports various tangible and intangible products to Nigeria. Some of the tangible products include auto parts, ITC products, discs and tapes, machinery and parts, screws, bolts and nuts, polymers of styrene, plastics, iron and steel products, yarn and fabrics, motorcycles, bicycles and frozen sea food. The intangible products include sharing its developmental experiences with relevant authorities and scholars in Nigeria.
NIGERIA’S EXPORTS TO TAIWAN:
Some of Nigeria's major export to Taiwan includes; crude oil, natural gas, solid minerals, Sesame, and cashew nuts.
