THE Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has stressed the need for a vibrant steel industry to fast-track development of infrastructure in the country in particular and the economy in general.The chamber pointed out that no nation can make meaningful progress in construction and infrastructure development without a strategic focus on steel manufacturing sector.President of NACCIMA, Dr. Hubert Ajayi, made this observation at the executive business luncheon with the Turkish trade delegation in Lagos, yesterday.Ajayi, who described visit of the Turkish business people as an auspicious, urged the Federal Government to take full advantage of the visit of the manufacturers and exporters from the European country to achieve Nigeria's dream of infrastructural development.Ajayi, who said he had just returned from business trips to Turkey, Indonesia and Malaysia, added that Turkey has developed its economy through well focused development of its steel sector.'Turkey has held five exhibitions this year. This is a country that is prepared to enter into business relationship with Nigeria and Nigerians. The truth is that it is the private sector and not the government that can drive the economy. Therefore, we need to improve on our investments and diversify and get into agricultural production."According to him, while the private sector has the duty to change the future of Nigeria in the next three years, the public sector needs to provide the enabling environment to drive the economy.Earlier, the Chairman of Turkish Steel Exporters' Association, Nam'k Ekinci said the delegation, representing 21 leading companies across Turkey and Europe, was in Nigeria to seek ways of promoting trade with the Nigerian business community.Ekinci explained their visit is to demonstrate the growing importance of Nigeria as a key emerging market and a potential strategic trading partner with Turkey in the steel sector.'The reason why we are in Nigeria is to meet and introduce ourselves to the business community and share experiences with Nigerian business people because Turkish business with Nigeria has increased. For this reason, we have come with 21 leading companies to meet with Nigerian business fraternity', he stated.The leader of the delegation said not only was Nigeria an important country in African continent due to its huge population but its historical ties with Turkey makes the visit auspicious.Also speaking, Deputy Director-General of Turkey's Ministry of Economy, Mr. Yavuz Ozutku, representing the Turkish government, said the business delegation comprising Turkish manufacturers and exporters chose to visit Nigeria because of the good relation between the two countries.He said the two countries not only have joint economic committee meetings, Turkey and Nigeria have trade involvement of nearly $1.2 billion in 2011, adding that this year figure was already in the upward swing.'Just two weeks ago there was a Turkish exhibition in Lagos. And now we are here with the Turkish steel manufacturers and exporters. Steel is an important product for us.'Last year, steel and iron was number one in our exports to Nigeria. This is because Nigeria has a booming economy and in a booming economy construction is the most important sector. So we are here to boost trade, not only that investment is also an important part of our mission', he explained. I believe that we will fruitful deliberations today.'We also have an embassy in Abuja and a direct flight from Istanbul to Lagos daily. That means the business is flourishing and we are here to take one more step to have fruitful results within this context', he explained.He said he was delighted to hear that Nigeria has a strategy for 2020, adding that the most important aspect of the strategy is that Nigeria wants to be one of the biggest 20 countries in the world.'Just like Nigeria he said Turkey has a plan for 2023, which will mark the 100th anniversary of Turkish Republic and our goal in 2023 is to be one of the tenth biggest economies in the world.'Nigeria and Turkey are not so different because we are going to the same direction and therefore we would like to have more and more business with Nigeria because both counties need it,' he added.The Turkish companies represented were offering a wide range of steel products, including HR/CR coils, diamond and tear-drop pattern plates, wire rods, billets, beams, bars, hollow sections, tubes, pipes and other steel products.
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