Industryweek 4302 Africa Map Promo
Industryweek 4302 Africa Map Promo
Industryweek 4302 Africa Map Promo
Industryweek 4302 Africa Map Promo
Industryweek 4302 Africa Map Promo

South Africa, Nigeria Aim to Boost Ties

May 7, 2013
While South Africa is still the continent's biggest economy, Nigerian business activity is set to grow more than twice as fast, by 7.2% this year.

CAPE TOWN - The leaders of Africa's two largest economies, South Africa and Nigeria, were meeting Tuesday in an effort to improve sometimes patchy ties.

South African President Jacob Zuma and his Nigerian counterpart Goodluck Jonathan are expected to sign several pacts in a display of warming relations between the two African powerhouses on the heels of a trip last month by Zuma to Lagos.

Zuma welcomed Jonathan -- on the first state visit to South Africa by any Nigerian leader since 2009 -- with red carpet pomp and ceremony including a 21-gun salute, navy band and guard of honour.

"I think symbolically it's very important to indicate a growing closeness between the leadership of the two countries," said Dianna Games, honorary chief executive of the South Africa-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce.

The two leaders will attend a meeting of a bilateral business forum, while Jonathan will also hold separate talks with the South African-based MTN telecommunications company, as well as representatives of car manufacturers Toyota and Nissan in South Africa.

While South Africa is still the continent's biggest economy, Nigerian business activity is set to grow more than twice as fast, by 7.2%, this year, according to International Monetary Fund estimates.

Total two-way trade has risen to $4.1 billion, with a surplus in oil-rich Nigeria's favor, according to South Africa's department of trade.

Nigeria is the continent's most populous country and its biggest oil producer.

The two states, which both want seats in an expanded UN Security Council, were at loggerheads last year over who would become head of the African Union's commission.

"It created a very frosty relationship between the two countries," said Alfredo Tjiurimo Hengari, analyst at the South African Institute of International Affairs.

"My view is also that South Africa has also been trying to overstretch its role on the continent by trying to play a very important role" in countries in Nigeria's backyard such as Ivory Coast and Mali.

An embarrassing row also broke out over yellow fever vaccinations that saw passengers turned away at airports in both countries in March last year.

The fact that there had not yet been an official state visit between the two countries was "abnormal for two continental powerhouses", said Hengari.

While courting the emerging BRIC markets -- Brazil, Russia, India and China -- South Africa has not shown the "same political eagerness on the continent" with Nigeria an obvious target, said Games.

"If this is the start of a closer relationship, then I think that would be a very good thing all around for both countries and the continent as a whole because they are the two big powers in Africa," she said.

The two leaders will attend a meeting of a bilateral business forum, while Jonathan will also hold separate talks with the South African-based MTN telecommunications company, as well as representatives of car manufacturers Toyota and Nissan in South Africa.

-Justine Gerardy, AFP

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2013

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Empowering the Modern Workforce: The Power of Connected Worker Technologies

March 1, 2024
Explore real-world strategies to boost worker safety, collaboration, training, and productivity in manufacturing. Emphasizing Industry 4.0, we'll discuss digitalization and automation...

3 Best Practices to Create a Product-Centric Competitive Advantage with PRO.FILE PLM

Jan. 25, 2024
Gain insight on best practices and strategies you need to accelerate engineering change management and reduce time to market. Register now for your opportunity to accelerate your...

How Manufacturers Can Optimize Operations with Weather Intelligence

Nov. 2, 2023
The bad news? Severe weather has emerged as one of the biggest threats to continuity and safety in manufacturing. The good news? The intelligence solutions that build weather ...

Transformative Capabilities for XaaS Models in Manufacturing

Feb. 14, 2024
The manufacturing sector is undergoing a pivotal shift toward "servitization," or enhancing product offerings with services and embracing a subscription model. This transition...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!