From Olukayode Idowu, Abuja
The Consul General of the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Shanghai, China, His Excellency, Chimezie Okeoma Ogu paid a visit to Mr. Xu Zhiwei, Chairman of Longrich industries at the the company’s headquarters located at the outskirt of Shanghai province of the People Republic of China on Wednesday 23, June, 2021.
According to a Statement released by the Nigerian Mission in Shanghai, the Consul General was warmly received on arrival by Mr. Anshen Ma, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer and the Special Assistant to the Chairman of Longrich industries.
In his welcome remarks, Mr. Xu Zhiwei, Chairman of Longrich Industries stated that the Company established its presence in Nigerian Market in 2012 and has made giant stride in the Nigerian economy. Mr. Xu informed the Nigerian Envoy that as part of the company internationalization strategy, the management has signed a contract with Nigeria’s Leki Free Trade Zone in Lagos state through the construction of 40,000-square-meter production line, to become the first artificial intelligence factory along the “Belt and Road” in Nigeria.
According to him, this is an important step for the realization of the national “Belt and Road” initiative by Chinese enterprises. This project will not only provide Longrich overseas branch with comprehensive large supply chain, product guarantee, import and export, customs clearance and other overall services, but will also provide all important local brands in Nigeria, as well as the entire African market. Furthermore the Chairman stated that Longrich Nigeria is a window to open up African market to introduce the “Chinese myth” in the African continent and the world.
Responding, the Consul General of the Nigerian Mission in Shanghai, H. E. Mr. Ogu expressed his appreciation to the Chairman and members of the management of Longrich for a warm reception accorded him and his team to the company’s headquarters. He commended the good work of the company by providing health and cosmetics needs of household through the production of tested global brands of various products. He affirmed Longrich’s advanced intelligent production level and the world’s leading research and development capacities of the company’s brands.
The Consul General further stated that “Longrich products are very popular in Nigeria. Every Nigerian family has Longrich products, and the country serves as the biggest market for the company in Africa and next to China in the world. He stated that the presence of the company in Nigeria has offered job and business opportunities to young men and women, who before now, were jobless. The introduction of the company’s novel network of marketing strategy have made many Nigerians financial stable and millionaires. He canvassed that Longrich can develop more excellent products to meet the needs of the Nigerian market.”
Mr. Ogu stated that with the establishment and construction of Longrich industry in Lagos, it has given opportunity to the transfer of technology and skill. According to him, this is the new focus of the present administration in its drive for Foreign Direct Investment with its international partners.
The Consul General canvassed for the training and retraining of Nigerians working with the company. According to him this would assist the Federal government efforts to address unemployment problem in the country. He also urge the management to consider recruiting young Nigerians living in China to participate in the internship programme of the company at its company’s headquarters in Shanghai for a better mutual cooperation, as well as offering job placements and opportunities to qualified young Nigerian graduates that studied in host country to continue to promote and boost the bilateral cooperation between both sides. Responding, Mr. Xu, the Chairman of Longrich stated that the request of the Consul General would be given consideration in recognition of the cordial bilateral relation existing between the government of the People’s Republic of China and the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Thereafter, the Nigerian Consul General and his delegation visited the Longrich Research & Development center, intelligent factory and other places in the production line of the company.
