President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed delight at the progress made in Nigeria-Norwegian relations in the last four years.
Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, made this known in a statement on Friday.
He quoted the president as making his feelings known at a virtual farewell meeting with the out-going Ambassador of Norway to Nigeria, Jens-Petter Kjemprud.
Buhari commended Kjemprud for the bilateral accomplishment in the area of oil and gas, fishing, humanitarian assistance in the Northeast and other benefits that his efforts have brought to Nigeria.
“I congratulate you on your performance and hard work and for the help in the promotion of welfare of people in the Northeast where we have problem of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and infrastructural deficit.
“We are very grateful. Thank you,” he said.
The out-going Ambassador in his speech, said his four-year tenure had grown economic relations between the two nations substantially.
He noted in particular, the presence of more than 70 Norwegian companies in the country as well as the important step by the Norwegian Sovereign Welfare Fund to invest in the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
He also cited as a very important achievement, the organisation of two donor conferences driven by Norway that raised more than one billion dollars for the development and humanitarian assistance to the Northeast.(NAN)
