South African president, Jacob Zuma, will begin an offical visit to Nigeria on Tuesday, March 8. Zuma visit is to further strengthen bilateral economic relationships between the two countries.
The news was announced by the office of the presidency in a statement on Wednesday, March 2. The statement indicated that Jacob Zuma would be travelling to Nigeria at “the invitation of his excellency President Muhammadu Buhari of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”. “During the State visit, President Zuma is expected to address the Joint Session of the National Assembly of Nigeria, and will together with President Buhari, address the South Africa-Nigeria Business Forum.
There are over than 120 South African companies operating business within Nigeria in various sectors such as: telecommunications, aviation, tourism, banking, property, retail, entertainment and fast food.
In a related development, communications minister, Adebayo Shittu, on Wednesday said that the Federal Government had concluded plans to meet with the MTN Group to resolve the dispute over the N1.04tn fine imposed on the telecommunications firm. This which was later reduced to N780bn.
Although the minister said that the meeting would hold “very soon,” reliable sources in the ministry told one of our correspondents that “the meeting will hold next week with the South Africa’s President, Jacob Zuma, in attendance.”
Zuma is scheduled to visit Nigeria for talks with President Muhammadu Buhari on this matter and other issues, according to details of an itinerary at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Despite last week’s payment of N50bn as part of the fine by MTN Nigeria in “good faith,” and withdrawal of a lawsuit it instituted against the Nigerian Communications Commission, Shittu said he could not say if the company would get any further reprieve from the government.
