Visiting South African President, Jacob Zuma, on Tuesday, said Nigeria had set an example through her peaceful transfer of power after the 2015 election, saying that the country is ‘charting the way the entire continent of Africa needs to follow’.
Zuma stated this while addressing a joint session of Nigeria’s National Assembly.
The South African President who is in Nigeria for a two-day state visit, was accompanied to the National Assembly complex by the Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and members of the Federal Executive council.
While praising Nigeria for it’s frontline role in pan-African struggles, Zuma stated that South Africa is ready to help Nigeria in any way it can.
He stated that: “In this building that symbolizes, democracy. With the manner you achieved democratic change through the 2015 election, we are incredibly proud of you. You charted the way the entire continent needs to follow. We salute you for that.”
He hailed Nigeria for “the cause of freedom and an end to Apartheid in South Africa”.
Zuma also praised the strong Afrocentric foreign policy of former Military Head of State, Murtala Muhammed, saying that he played a role in the liberation and independence of South Africa in 1975.
He noted that Nigeria and South Africa play a pivotal role in the African continent and that Africa should make a shift from its previous colonial role of being a producer of elementary commodities in the international market to a producer of finished goods.
“South African solid minerals mining experience can contribute to solid minerals exploration in Nigeria. Our success in the electricity can also be tapped into to assist the Nigerian electricity generation,” Zuma said.
While calling for more cooperation between Nigerian and South Africa, President Zuma noted that his country now has 120 companies doing business in different sectors of the Nigerian economy.
He also stated that South Africa will review its visa policies for Nigerians so as to improve trade and partnership.
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