President Buhari departs Spain after a 3-day visit

-O. Adejo
Friday marked the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s three-day state visit to Spain. During the visit, he met President Pedro Sanchez and King Felipe VI.

Nigeria and Spain signed nine agreements and memorandums of understanding under President Sanchez, including a treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal issues, the transfer of convicted prisoners, and extradition.

Other MOUs covered economic and commercial cooperation, tourism, sports, health, COVID-19, and research and innovation.
President Buhari attended a Political and Business Leaders Forum hosted by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, Ministry of Trade, and Confederation of Employers.

The Nigerian leader urged European countries to look to Africa to solve the world economy’s resource supply problems.
He challenged Spanish investors to use Nigeria’s tax-free environment and infinite expatriate quota in Free Trade Zones to boost trade and economic prospects.

He said Spain was a big buyer of Nigeria’s crude oil, noting that Nigeria’s exports to Spain were $4.8 billion in 2020 and Spain’s exports to Nigeria rose from $97.2 million in 1995 to $517 million in 2020.

President Buhari also hosted Nigerians in Spain, including footballers and investors, on Thursday.