When did you last receive a letter that briefly took your breath away? I am still overwhelmed when I think of the moment I held the invitation from the Office of the Federal President in my hands: I had the honour of being part of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's business delegation on his trip to Nigeria, South Africa and Lesotho.
This unique opportunity means a lot to me both personally and professionally, because the trip sends a strong signal: it symbolises the desire to take the partnership with Africa to a new level and to open up new opportunities for cooperation.
Last Thursday, we kicked off in Lagos with a round table discussion with the Federal President and leading Nigerian business representatives. The focus was on topics that will shape the future – energy, financing options and the shortage of skilled workers. I was able to contribute an impulse keynote on the latter:
What makes the country an interesting key partner for Germany? A young population with an average age of 18 and many highly qualified professionals who, due to structural challenges in the local labour market, are keen to come to Germany to work in areas where skilled workers are desperately sought in this country: in the health and care sector, but also in engineering and IT.
The discussions provided valuable insights and highlighted Nigeria's immense potential. Despite challenges such as corruption, poverty and ethnic tensions, Nigeria is making impressive progress – with positive prospects for the future!
Population: With over 220 million people, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa
Cultural diversity: More than 250 ethnic groups and more than 500 languages are spoken
Economy: One of the strongest economies on the continent – with increasing growth rates and a dynamic start-up scene
Energy sector: Nigeria has the eleventh largest oil reserves in the world and is heavily dependent on oil and gas exports (90% of government spending).
As CEO of the ICUnet.Group, I am particularly pleased to be able to contribute our experience in African markets to this delegation. My goal is to build bridges between the two continents and provide impetus for far-reaching cooperation. Through targeted cooperation, we can not only help to meet the demand for skilled workers in Germany, but also promote sustainable development in both countries.
This trip has shown me impressively how much potential lies in this exchange. I am grateful to be part of this important dialogue and to be able to further advance it!
