The Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Embassy of Spain in Nigeria, Mr Pablo Segrelles, yesterday said his country imported products valued at N1.38trillion(4 billion Euros) from Nigeria last yaer.
He, however, said this year’s economic situation in Nigeria would adversely affect his country’s importation of oil, gas and other products from Nigeria.
“Until this year, the volume of trade between Nigeria and Spain was much larger than most people are aware of.
“In 2015, Spain imported more than 4 billion Euros worth of products from Nigeria. But, this would be less this year because of the fall in prices of oil and the current economic situation.
“Even at this time of the year, Spain has not imported up to 300 million Euros worth of products from Nigeria,’’ he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
According to him, Nigeria’s current economic situation is really unfavorable for trade and business transactions between the two countries.
Segrelles also said more Spanish companies that had indicated trade and investment interest in Nigeria were being discouraged by the current challenge of foreign exchange.
The envoy also expressed optimism that there was the tendency for more Spanish companies to engage in long-term trade and investment with Nigeria, for the future.
“The current economic situation in Nigeria is reducing Spanish exports into Nigeria.
“But I think that in the long-run, there would be a lot of Spanish companies that would do business or invest in Nigeria on long-term basis.
“We hope that in the long-run, Nigeria’s current economic situation would recover,’’ he added.
Nigeria established diplomatic relations with Spain in 1960