The Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Perry Calderwood, tells GBENGA ADENIJI and BAYO AKINLOYE that for Nigeria to reach its full potential, diversifying its economy is vital and that robust political debates focusing on issues and not on personalities can lead to successful conduct of the 2015 general elections
How has it been as the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria?
I’ve been in Nigeria for one year now and I am based in Abuja. It’s a very exciting time to be in Nigeria as the Canadian High Commissioner. That’s because the relationship between Nigeria and Canada is a dynamic and positive one. We’ve seen a great deal of activities in a wide range of areas. The high commission is a good place to be to work with many Nigerians, friends, contacts and Canadians, to identify where we need to increase the momentum in aspects of the relationships existing between the two countries; we can talk about the economic relationship where businesses are growing quickly; we can talk in the area of education where we have Nigerians studying in Canada and we have a development systems programme here in Nigeria and we also have a level of contact on a wide range of issues. It’s been a very broad and positive relationship and it’s growing rapidly.
In describing the wide range of activities between your country and Nigeria, you mentioned the economic relationship existing between the two countries. We will like to know more about the bilateral relationship Canada has with Nigeria?
Let me elaborate on areas of interest identified earlier, one at a time. On the economic side, Nigeria is our biggest trading partner in Sub-Saharan Africa. Canada exports around $460 million a year to Nigeria and we import nearly three times of that amount so there is a trade balance to Nigeria’s favour. We’ve seen in the last two or three years a great increase in the number of Canadian companies that are taking an interest in Nigeria. We’ve gone from about 25 companies to 75 at the current time that are present in the Nigerian market. They are very pleased and we are seeing interests in a wide range of sectors; everything from renewable energy, oil and gas, also agriculture, information and communication technology, even the creative industry such as film production. It’s a very broad interest. When I look at Nigeria, I see many of the areas where Nigeria is still developing, where things are happening. There are sectors in which Canada has a great deal of experience and is relevant to Nigeria. Therefore, I think in this context there are many opportunities especially in the area of renewable energy; you may have noted that a number of Canadian companies are already here; where they helped in the privatisation of the generation companies and the distribution companies. A number of these companies have entered into contractual agreements with some state governments in the country and this will lead to greater investment and increase in production of power.
Concerning energy and mining, what’s your observation about Nigeria?
After a year in Nigeria, one observation I’ll like to make is if there is anything holding back Nigeria’s development, it is the lack of a reliable energy supply. In view of this, I am very pleased to see various Canadian companies and others coming to Nigeria and signing partnership (agreements) — sharing their technical knowledge and I think this cooperation and partnerships can help Nigeria to overcome its energy challenges which is essential in order for the country to achieve its full vibrant economic potentials. Another sector where I think there is potential in the long term is the mining sector. Canada is a very important mining country. We have over a hundred years’ history — we’re one of the leading mining countries in the world. Nigeria is a country with considerable mineral resources but for the most part Nigeria hasn’t really been able to develop. However, I understand that the government is committed to making the mining sector more functional in the years ahead. I do hope in the years to come we will see more and more Canadian companies investing both in this country and also sharing and selling the technologies and expertise we have in the mining sector to help Nigeria develop that sector in a resourceful way and in a way that will benefit the country and the communities where the mines are located.
Beyond the economic relationship enjoyed between the two countries, what role does Canada play in the area of development in Nigeria?
Development and cooperation are other important areas in which Canada is a strategic partner to Nigeria. Canada provides around $65m a year in development assistance to Nigeria. Part of this is a bilateral programme involving some multilateral agencies. Our assistance is focused primarily on the health sector. Canada has a very strong commitment to this; our Prime Minister has shown leadership specifically in the health sector concerning mothers and the newborn children. When Canada joined the G8 in 2010, the prime minister made this a priority as part of his Muskoka Initiative to combat maternal mortality and newborn mortality globally. In Nigeria, much of the programmes we have developed are aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s health care system; in caring for the mother and child and also to combat diseases that are a threat to young children. Within the last few months we announced the launch of two new major projects in that area. One of them is the Clinton Health Access Initiative Foundation. We provided $40 million of funding specifically to combat diarrhoea which is one of the leading causes of infant mortality in Nigeria. The project will be funded by providing zinc, salt — iodised salt — and other supplements to babies and young children to protect them from diarrhoea. The second project is supported with $50m and is with the World Health Organisation designed to strengthen the training and to develop the capacity of frontline health care workers — that is, the nurses and the midwives. This is in two states: Bauchi and Cross River. These are two recent programmes that we have launched in the area of health. Also, in the area of health, another aspect I am very impressed with is the effort made in combating polio. In the last 15 years, a lot of money had been spent in definitively eradicating polio in Nigeria and the other countries afflicted by the disease. The encouraging news is that the cases of polio occurring have been reduced to a very small number in Nigeria — just a handful of polio cases this year. I am optimistic that we might soon realise the objective of eliminating this dangerous disease once and for all. Apart from the health sector, another area our development and cooperation focuses on is economic development; we are launching this year a project to encourage entrepreneurship among young people in various sectors including agriculture, fishery and forestry, in Cross River State. This project is valued at $50 million to run over the next three or four years. It basically focuses on helping young people to learn how to start businesses and become entrepreneurs. An observation I’ve made in my time in Nigeria is that you have a growing economy running side by side with a young population. Many of these ones coming each year into the workforce; and in my view, in order for Nigeria to offer employment for all the teeming young people, it’s important for these young people to be given skills firstly, and also learn to become entrepreneurs. This is so because the country and companies do not have the absorbing capacity to offer jobs to everyone. Hence, this kind of programme helps to develop skills among young Nigerians to start their own business.
How about the area of education?
Education is an area where we have seen positive trends. At present, we have more than 6, 000 Nigerians studying in Canada. And Nigerians are our eighth largest source of foreign students and the largest source of students from Africa. We are delighted that many Nigerians are choosing to study in Canada. Most of these students are excellent students and they also contribute positively to our education and to our communities where they are settled. I think many of them are choosing Canada because they recognise we have a very good educational system both at the university and technical education levels. Our courses are very competitive compared to other destinations. Also, we are a safe country with low crime rate; we are a country, by nature, multi-cultural with people from all parts of the world resident in Canada; those who study in Canada, immigrants and visitors easily integrate into our society. This is a country that welcomes people from any part of the world. Incidentally, I am pleased to say that there is a growing interest between the two countries in developing partnerships between educational institutions here in Nigeria and in Canada. Again, I give a scenario where we have a lot to offer to our Nigerian friends given the quality of our education at the university and the programmes that we have and the needs Nigeria has to develop particularly in technical vocation; in order to train young people for Nigeria’s growing economy.
As you noted, Canada is reputed as a safe country. But two recent terrorist attacks there have made analysts to describe the incidents as a rape of Canada’s innocence. What do these attacks portend for your country?
As you stated, there were two tragic terrorist attacks a couple of weeks ago in Canada. I think these attacks remind all of us that terrorism is a global phenomenon and that no country is immune to it. I think these attacks will reinforce the commitment of Canadians and the Canadian government to combat terrorism anywhere it raises its head. We are pleased to be working with many partners around the world including Nigeria and across the West African region to support this country’s efforts to combat terrorism. In doing that, we are offering specialised training to the Nigeria Police to help them develop the capacity in combating crime and terrorism. We are also funding a number of initiatives in the region to strengthen airport security, to strengthen border security and we are doing this with international partners with expertise in those areas. I will add on the subject of terrorism that the Canadian government expresses solidarity with the people of Nigeria as the country combats terrorism; we also express our condolence to all the victims and families caught in the violent attacks of the insurgents. We also express hope for the safe return of the Chibok schoolgirls and all other individuals who have been kidnapped.
What support is your country offering Nigeria to rescue the abducted schoolgirls?
Basically, we have been looking to identify specific training courses that can help the security force in Nigeria — specifically, the Nigeria Police — and strengthen its capacity to combat and prevent crime and terrorism. Recently, for example, we have experts from our federal police come to Nigeria and train its police on interrogation techniques; we have also provided training on intelligence gathering — information gathering — through the Internet, as an example. We are looking forward to further training in the weeks or months ahead. We have also provided some logistical support to our international partners that are working to support Nigeria in combating this phenomenon.
Is your country offering any support to Nigeria in terms of surveillance and firearms to combat its security challenges?
No. The support we are providing Nigeria in fighting against current insurgency is in terms of training and capacity building as I have mentioned earlier. We seek to provide assistance that will complement the support provided by our international partners.
Is there any reason why your government — despite the robust economic relationship between it and Nigeria — is not looking in the direction of assisting Nigeria with surveillance and other military hardware?
Essentially, what we have tried to do is to identify where we are best placed to provide the needed support. Canada is not a military superpower, though over the years we have been very active in supporting peacekeeping missions. We have also been supporting the Afghan government to re-establish control over its territories and combat the threat there. We are also playing a role in Iraq. Our capacity is limited on military side. As I said, we are looking for niches that we can serve or to complement what others and our partners are already doing — rather than duplicating efforts in areas where we are not in the best position to provide support for.
What assistance is your country offering to Nigeria to ensure credible elections in 2015?
In terms of assistance Canada has provided $6m through the United Nations Development Programme — they have what is called basket fund — in which there are contributions from other partners as well. Canada provided $6m to strengthen governance in Nigeria. A big part of that is dedicated towards helping the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission to strengthen itself in order to be able to develop its capacity as the organisation responsible for organising elections. Specifically, we provide that support; we have provided some more funding to support civil societies and organisations in election monitoring and electoral education. These civil societies play a very important role in conducting elections and in ensuring that elections are free and fair. That is what we provided in following the election processes. I am therefore looking forward to elections that are transparent, free, fair and peaceful. In the time that I have been in Nigeria, many people including political leaders — people from all walks of life — I have seen have very strong democratic inclination and Nigerians are committed to the nation’s democracy. Thus, in that context I hope to be a witness to seeing free, fair and peaceful elections here in Nigeria in 2015.
How will you describe Nigerians living in Canada?
What I will say is that a great significant of Nigerians are living in Canada — thousands of them — overwhelmingly, they are fine people; be it those with Canadian heritage, those who are temporary immigrants including those who are students. Their contributions to Canada are positive.
What is the number of Nigerians in Canadian prisons?
They are less than 10. Like I said, Nigerians in Canada are fine people.
Has the current insurgency impacted negatively on the trade relations between the two countries?
No; I would not say that. As I mentioned, we have seen in the last few years, tremendous increase in the interest of Canadian companies in Nigeria. This is growing rapidly and I am confident that will continue to grow. We are here in Lagos and things are dynamic; everywhere is peaceful — no disturbance. Businesses can be conducted in most parts of Nigeria. I think Canadians are more interested in doing business with Nigerians; they have their eyes on the long term. And they are not easily discouraged by temporary challenges or problems Nigeria may be facing in some parts of the country. I think the point is clear in Nigeria like in any other country, more progress can be made by improving and enhancing security. I will also add that more can be achieved in making business easier in Nigeria in terms of renting and business facilitation; all of that are helpful in encouraging businesspeople to come to Nigeria. I am also very pleased to mention that Canada and Nigeria recently signed a Foreign Investment Protection and Promotion agreement; it was signed in May this year — currently, the agreement is in the ratification process. We hope that it will be ratified very soon. In the months ahead, I believe that this, when put in place, will give further impetus to Canadian businesspeople to look up opportunities to invest in Nigeria. An agreement like this gives a legal framework to assure investors that Nigerians can invest in Canada and Canadians can invest in Nigeria; that those investments will not be discriminated against or those investments will later be nationalised. I think, looking forward, this will be another positive signal to business community.
What economic and political lessons are there for Nigeria to learn from Canada?
On the economic side, I will say one of the great successes of Canada’s economy is that the country is a resource-based economy. And today, when you look at Canada you will notice that we are diversified in our natural resources; we are not only involved in oil and gas; we are also involved in agriculture — we also produce aircraft; we engage in information and communication technology leading us to have some of the world’s most advanced engineering companies, high-technology and high-value industries. This is a lesson that can be useful to Nigerians — who have been having challenges to diversify their economy from relying heavily on the oil sector — to further explore the need to diversify. Nigeria is a tremendous country with many resources. You need to consider the creative industry, Nollywood and the banking industry, where things are getting stronger. In a matter of time, many other sectors will become developed.
On the political side, Canada has enjoyed democracy for a very long time. Since we started as a country we have never had a coup d’état. We have never even had elections that were seriously disputed. And I think Nigeria is making progress in consolidating its democracy. I think one of the keys to enjoying a successful democracy is high level of citizens’ interest and engagement in the political process. Another element is the positive, important role that people like you (journalists) play in the political process. The media play a very important role in Canada, they hold the government to account — whether it’s the national government or the provincial government. One other thing that works well in Canada is the role of the opposition. On a day-to-day basis, the opposition has a key role to play in holding the government to account. These are some aspects of our experience. One other aspect, our federalism is quite decentralised; we have had a lot of experience fine-tuning what the national government should be doing and what the provinces (states) should be doing; and how the two levels of government should work together. Obviously, each country will have to decide its own formula — I wouldn’t suggest Nigeria should have Canada’s formula. But I know a number of Nigerians are studying the way our system works. I think our experience can be of great interest and relevance to Nigerians as they look to redefine and improve the balance of power between the different levels of government.
Talking about the role opposition parties play in democracy, what lessons can be learnt from Canada?
I will just stick to the Canadian model and that states that a key role of the opposition is to make the government account for its actions and decisions; to be constructively critical of the government. In Canada, the opposition’s role is to keep an eye on the government such that when they see things they don’t think are right, they will raise questions; and when there are issues and debates they can offer alternative approaches. In view of this, when election time comes, the citizens of the country can decide in an informed way to vote for the incumbent or find the other party more attractive. In a way, the opposition party is also a government-in-waiting, should the electorate decide that they are ready for a change. Another important point I will like to add is that any responsible opposition has a role to play in focusing on issues — having debates — rather than focusing on personalities which happens sometimes in politics. I think in a mature political setting, there will be genuine debates between those who are in power and those who are in the opposition. By so doing, there is a wider view and the best way to solve a problem is usually reached.
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