The Ooni of Ife and Chairman of the Kazakhstan-Nigeria Business Council, His Imperial Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, has dispatched a high-level delegation to the Republic of Kazakhstan to foster investment partnerships and economic collaborations between both nations.
The delegation, led by the council’s Executive Secretary, Chief Adeniyi Adesoji, alongside council member Otunba Yera Olafare and Kazakhstan’s Honorary Consul Nominee in Nigeria, Mr. Bruce Ayonote Brai, embarked on the mission to engage government officials, industry leaders, and investors in Kazakhstan.
Since their arrival in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan, the delegation has held a series of productive meetings with key stakeholders, facilitated by the Astana-based wing of the Nigeria-Kazakhstan Business Council. These engagements were instrumental in advancing discussions on trade, investment, and business opportunities.
The delegation was warmly received at Nur-Sultan International Airport by members of the Nigeria-Kazakhstan Business Council, including Nurgozha Kaliaskarov and Ruslan Rakhimzhanov, who played a pivotal role in coordinating their itinerary. On Tuesday, February 4, the team was hosted by renowned Kazakh entrepreneur and Founder of Freedom Business Conglomerate, Mr. Timur Turlov.
During the meeting, Mr. Turlov expressed his enthusiasm for investment opportunities in Nigeria and lauded Nigerian President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic policies aimed at fostering international business partnerships. He also confirmed his intent to accompany Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Alibek Kuantyrov, on an official visit to Nigeria later in February 2025.
The following day, February 5, the delegation met with Mr. Azamat Onaibayev, Managing Director of EdTech KN, an international education consulting firm. Discussions focused on expanding educational collaborations between Nigeria and Kazakhstan, particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology-driven learning.
Mr. Onaibayev disclosed that he had already facilitated the enrollment of Nigerian students in AI programs in Kazakhstan. The delegation later visited the British Coventry University’s new campus in Kazakhstan, where Vice-Chancellor Professor Miras Daulenov welcomed them and expressed interest in expanding bilateral academic cooperation.
Further discussions took place at the Kazakh Invest National Company headquarters, a government agency responsible for attracting foreign investments. The Director of Investment Promotion and Marketing, Mr. Nurzhan Abilikhaiyr, briefed the Nigerian team on Kazakhstan’s strategies to enhance trade and investment.
He also confirmed that a high-powered Kazakh delegation, led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Alibek Kuantyrov, will visit Nigeria on February 22, 2025, for high-level discussions on trade, infrastructure, and energy cooperation.
On Thursday, February 6, the delegation was hosted at the Kazakhstan Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Deputy Minister Alibek Kuantyrov, who emphasized the strong potential for economic collaboration between both nations. Discussions covered trade expansion, investment in agriculture, mining, transport, logistics, IT, and energy.
The Deputy Minister commended the Ooni for his instrumental role in strengthening ties between the two countries and facilitating a recent meeting between Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan and Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria during the "Sustainability Week" summit in Abu Dhabi in January 2025.
Deputy Minister Kuantyrov acknowledged the Ooni’s efforts in fostering a diplomatic and economic bridge between the two nations. He described Nigeria as a vital partner for Kazakhstan’s engagement with Africa and expressed a commitment to exploring new avenues for economic growth and trade. Chief Adeniyi Adesoji, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria-Kazakhstan Business Council, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening economic ties with Kazakhstan, emphasizing the mutual benefits of strengthened trade relations, technological exchange, and job creation.
The delegation also visited key industrial and business establishments, including YDA Industrial Park, a major industrial hub in Astana that houses 12 factories under one roof, showcasing Kazakhstan’s manufacturing capabilities. They also toured AiMAP Corporation, a leading software development firm contributing to Kazakhstan’s growing IT sector, and Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE), the largest manufacturer of advanced armored vehicles in Central Asia. The delegation was given a tour of the facility, where they observed the production of military protection equipment.
The mission concluded on Saturday, February 8, with final strategic meetings with senior officials of Kazakhstan’s presidency, including Marat Ibraimov, Senior Officer of Cooperation in Africa; Rasul Merali, Manager of International Cooperation for Africa at the International Chamber of Commerce; Adil Mukharmedarov, Head of the Commercial Department; and Marat Yebekenov, Deputy Director of the Middle East & African Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During these engagements, discussions centered on expanding Kazakhstan-Nigeria trade relations, enhancing infrastructure development, and strengthening diplomatic ties.
Otunba Yera Olafare highlighted the historical significance of the Kingdom of Ife, renowned as the ancestral home of over 500 million Yoruba people worldwide. He described the Ooni of Ife as a globally celebrated leader, referencing his previous engagements with prominent figures, including Queen Elizabeth II in 2016, President John Mahama of Ghana in 2016, Asantehene Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II in 2016, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil in 2023, President William Ruto of Kenya in 2023, and President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda in 2023.
The delegation’s visit to Kazakhstan marks a significant milestone in fostering bilateral relations, paving the way for increased economic cooperation and investment opportunities between Nigeria and Kazakhstan.
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