Nigeria is set to partner Austria on renewable energy as part of efforts to deepen bilateral trade between the two nations.
Mr Vivian Okeke, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Austria stated this in an interview with the Europe correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria at a conference in Zurich.
Okeke said that Austria is well known for its renewable energy strides and that such partnership would ensure a transfer of technology to Nigeria.
According to Okeke, the partnership is in line with the government’s effort to diversify from the oil sector which accounts for a large percentage of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
The envoy also listed trade in machinery, agricultural produce and seedlings as new areas of partnership.
While speaking on the cordial relations between the two countries, Okeke said that the proposed areas of partnership would further boost the current trade volume which stands at 300 million Euros.
NAN reports that the trade volume is in favour of Nigeria with the bulk of the money being from oil and gas sales.
Nigeria and Austria established formal diplomatic ties in 1962, but their relationship dated back to 1909 when the then Austria-Hungary opened a consulate in Lagos