By Clement Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has called for a stronger Nigeria-Germany partnership focused on industrialisation, electricity generation, skills development, investment and job creation.
Akpabio made the call on Thursday in Abuja while receiving a delegation of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development of the German Bundestag, led by Professor Wolfgang Stefinger, in his office.
In an address titled “Let Friendship Become Factories,” the Senate President said Nigeria and Germany had spent more than six decades building friendship and mutual trust, stressing the need to translate the relationship into tangible economic benefits for citizens of both countries.
He said the priority was to transform friendship into factories, trust into investment and cooperation into jobs.
“Today, our responsibility is to translate that foundation into greater opportunities, stronger institutions and shared prosperity for our peoples,” Akpabio said.
He urged both countries to deepen cooperation in electricity generation, technical skills development and employment, noting that such collaboration would strengthen businesses, improve livelihoods and support economic growth.
According to him, parliamentarians have a critical role in ensuring that bilateral commitments translate into sustainable results.
“The government negotiates partnerships; parliaments help give them continuity, accountability and lasting value. Through legislation, oversight and budgetary decisions, we help turn commitments into results,” he said.
To sustain the relationship, Akpabio proposed the establishment of a structured Nigeria-Germany Parliamentary Dialogue, supported by committee exchanges and designated contacts to ensure continued engagement beyond the visit.
On economic cooperation, he said Nigeria was seeking to expand production, strengthen its industrial base and create productive employment through increased German investment in manufacturing, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, technology and infrastructure.
He stressed that Nigeria wanted partnerships that would promote local capacity, facilitate technology transfer and connect Nigerian businesses to international markets.
“We seek not merely to trade more with Germany, but to produce more with Germany,” he declared.
Akpabio, however, identified costly financing, high export-credit premiums and avoidable regulatory barriers as obstacles to investment, urging both countries to address the challenges and create an enabling environment for businesses.
He specifically called for greater participation by German small and medium-sized enterprises in investment partnerships with Nigerian businesses.
On electricity, the Senate President described reliable power supply as indispensable to Nigeria’s industrialisation, noting that businesses could not thrive under persistent uncertainty in energy supply.
He expressed support for the accelerated implementation of the Presidential Power Initiative involving Siemens, alongside investments in renewable energy, natural gas and sustainable infrastructure.
According to him, improved electricity supply would deliver more than additional generating capacity, as it would increase productive hours, reduce business costs and boost investor confidence.
The Senate President also highlighted opportunities for cooperation in technical education, vocational training and innovation, citing Germany’s experience in apprenticeships and industry-linked skills development as a valuable model for Nigeria.
He proposed stronger links between Nigerian institutions and German technical colleges, industries and employers, particularly in engineering, digital technology, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship.
“The most enduring investment in our partnership will be the skills we place in the hands of the next generation,” he said.
On security, Akpabio welcomed Germany’s existing cooperation with Nigeria and called for stronger collaboration in training, intelligence, surveillance, counterterrorism, border security and maritime protection, while emphasising respect for human rights.
He said a secure Nigeria would contribute to stability across West Africa and the Sahel, protect commercial activities and advance the shared interests of both countries.
Akpabio further urged both countries to ensure that development cooperation produced sustainable enterprises, productive employment and measurable improvements in the lives of citizens.
Addressing migration, he advocated expanded safe and lawful migration pathways, mutual recognition of qualifications and stronger action against human trafficking.
He also stressed that return and reintegration arrangements must uphold due process and human dignity, while describing the Nigerian diaspora and cultural relations as important bridges between the two countries.
As concrete outcomes of the visit, Akpabio proposed five priority areas: sustained parliamentary dialogue; accelerated cooperation in electricity and renewable energy; a skills and innovation partnership; improved access to investment and development finance; and designated parliamentary contacts to monitor and implement agreed actions.
He said the proposed measures would help translate the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and Germany into practical outcomes that promote economic growth, industrial development and shared prosperity.
