The Ooni Of Ife & Chairman of Kazakhstan – Nigeria Business Council, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, has sent the council’s Executive Secretary, Chief Adeniyi Adesoji, a member of the council; Otunba Yera Olafare and the Kazakhstan’s Honourary Consul Nominee in Nigeria Mr Bruce Ayonote Brai to the Republic of Kazakhstan to meet with various investors and business stakeholders in Kazakhstan with a view to wooing them for business relations in Nigeria.
The Ooni’s representatives who have so far spent five days in Astana the Kazakhstan’s Seat of power and Capital City have been working assiduously in respect of their assignment given to them by visiting and holding talks with with government officials, manufacturers, International Trade merchants, business entrepreneurs and other relevant stakeholders who had been mobilized by the Astana based wing of the Nigeria – Kazakhstan Business Council some of whom are also directors of the Ojaja Silkway Corporation established in Kazakhstan and registered by the Astana International Financial Center(AIFC) to trade in commodities exchange and other investment interests between Nigeria and Kazakhstan.
Arriving at the NurSultan International Airport in Astana at about 1:25am Tuesday morning, received by members of the Nigeria – Kazakhstan Business Council residing in Astana; Nurgozha Kaliaskarov
and Ruslan Rakhimzhanov, the team swiftly started what took them to the country from Nigeria as they were hosted at 11am of the same Tuesday by the Kazakhstan born billionaire entrepreneur and Founder, Freedom Business Conglomerate, Mr Timur Turlov who not only affirm his readiness to seek business opportunities in Nigeria but also praised president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for opening up the Nigeria’s economy encouraging investments from Central Asia and confirmed he would be accompanying Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Alibek Kuantyrov who will be leading a delegation from his country to Nigeria before the end of February 2025.
On Wednesday 5th February, they were with Mr Azamat Onaibayev who is the MD of EdTech KN, an International education consulting firm based Kazakhstan. They deeply discussed education initiatives and projects between Kazakhstan and Nigeria. Mr Azamat Onaibayev told his guests that he has already brought first set of students from Nigeria to Kazakhstan to study and practice Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills. He thereafter led the team on a visit to the brand new campus of the British Coventry University in Kazakhstan where the Vice Chancellor, Professor Miras Daulenov
expressed delight to receive the Ooni’s delegates and showed interest in exploring opportunities to jointly expand this bilateral expertise.
The next meeting was at the office of the Kazakh Invest National Company located at Mangilik El house 55/20, building С 4.1, Astana 12 and established by government to promote sustainable socio-economic development by attracting foreign investment in priority sectors of the economy and to provide comprehensive support for investments in Kazakhstan. During the 2 hour meeting from 3pm to 5pm on Tuesday, the organisation’s Director of Investment Promotion and Marketing, Mr Nurzhan Abilikhaiyr briefed the visiting Ooni’s delegates of the top action of the government of Kazakhstan to send a powerful delegation to Nigeria as soon as possible saying the delegation would be led by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Alibek Kuantyrov
Meeting with Kazakhstan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alibek Kuantyrov on Thursday 6th February hosted members of the Nigeria – Kazakhstan Business Council comprising it’s Executive Secretary, Chief Adesoji Kehinde Adeniyi, member of the council, Otunba Yera Olafare, their counterparts in Astana and an ICT Business magnate who is the Kazakhstan’s Honourary Consul Nominee in Nigeria. Mr Bruce Ayonote Brai.at his office in Astana, Kazakhstan .
During the meeting with the Deputy Minister, emphasis was on the opportunities to expand trade, economic, and investment relations, as well as prospects for cooperation in the mining industry, agriculture, transport, logistics, IT, and energy sectors. Special attention was given to the need to strengthen the political dialogue between Kazakhstan and Nigeria. In this context, the recent meeting between President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu held in January 2025 on the sidelines of the “Sustainability Week” summit in Abu Dhabi was highlighted.
Deputy Minister Kuantyrov emphasized the high potential for expanding cooperation between the two countries, noting that Nigeria could serve as a key gateway for Kazakhstan’s broader engagement with African nations. He praised Ooni Ogunwusi for being instrumental to the relationship between the two presidents of Kazakhstan and Nigeria
“We are so proud of His Majesty as the face our country in Nigeria and West Africa, we are indeed appreciative his efforts to ensure a meeting between President Tinubu and our president recently in UAE.
“Kazakhstan and Nigeria have significant potential for mutually beneficial cooperation in key economic sectors. We are ready to expand trade ties, jointly develop infrastructure and investment projects, and deepen political dialogue. I am confident that our efforts in this direction will strengthen our partnership and create new opportunities for business and economic growth in both countries,” stated the Deputy Minister.
In his own remarks, the Executive Secretary, Nigeria – Kazakhstan Business Council, Chief Adesoji Kehinde Adeniyi expressed Nigeria’s keen interest in strengthening bilateral cooperation and emphasized that Kazakhstan is an important partner for Nigeria in Central Asia. He expressed confidence that expanding economic and investment ties between the two nations would open new opportunities for businesses, job creation, and technological exchange.
Furthermore, the meeting focused on the development of transport infrastructure and logistics, particularly Kazakhstan’s participation in international transport corridors, which could facilitate trade flows between Asia and Africa.
The parties also discussed the upcoming visit of a Kazakh delegation to Nigeria, scheduled for 22nd February 2025. The visit will include meetings with government officials and business representatives, as well as discussions on specific cooperation projects in priority sectors. The Kazakh side expressed confidence that the visit would mark an important step in strengthening bilateral ties.
Conclusively, both sides agreed to continue dialogue and enhance collaboration at all levels, including through sectoral consultations and business forums.
A member of the Council, Otunba Yera Olafare had earlier told the Deputy Minister that the Kingdom of Ife, located in present-day Nigeria, is renowned for its rich history and cultural heritage. As one of the world’s oldest kingdoms, Ife has long been considered the ancestral home of the 500 millions Yoruba people across the world and a key center of African civilization. He also described the Ooni of Ife as a versatile all-rounder greatly endowed with visionary leadership who have been well celebrated by many African and world leaders such as late Queen Elizabeth II of England at the Buckingham Palace in 2016, President John Mahama of Ghana in Accra, 2016, the Asantehene of Kumasi, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II at Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, Ghana, 2016, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, 2023, President William Ruto of Kenya, Nairobi, 2023, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Kampala, also in 2023 and a host of others.
The Ooni’s delegation also visited and held meetings with several investors and captains of industry in Kazakhstan including (1) YDA Industrial Park located in the Industrial Zone of Astana, Kazakhstan. It is a unique complex that houses 12 separate factories under one roof, making it a notable industrial park.The park reflects YDA Group’s international presence and involvement in industrial projects beyond Turkey. YDA Group itself is a prominent Turkish construction and development company known for various infrastructure and real estate projects. (2) AiMAP Corporation in Kazakhstan is a software development company, specifically a limited liability partnership (TOO) registered in Astana on June 21, 202. The company’s primary activity is related to software development and is classified under the OKED code 620124. AiMap operates within the broader context of Kazakhstan’s growing IT sector, which includes various initiatives to enhance digital capabilities and innovation across the country and Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE) the largest producer of advanced armored wheeled vehicles in Central Asia. Established in 2015, it manufactures vehicles like the Arlan 4×4, Nomad 4×4, Barys 6×6, and Barys 8×8. Delegation were taken round the factory to witness how Military Protection Equipments were produced.
Their assignment was climaxed on Saturday in what appeared to be their final meetings in Kazakhstan with senior officials of the presidency of Kazakhstan led by Senior Officer of Cooperation In Africa, Mr Marat Ibraimov, the Manager of International Cooperation for Africa, International Chamber of Commerce, Rasul Merali alongside Mr Adil Mukharmedarov, Head of Commercial department and Mr Marat Yebekenov, the Deputy Director, Middle East & African Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan.
