The "2023 Trade Delegation to Northwestern Africa," organized by the Bureau of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and coordinated by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), embarked on a sales trip to Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria from May 31 to June 11, 2023. The delegation received enthusiastic inquiries from local buyers, engaging in a total of 442 business negotiations, and the potential business opportunities are expected to reach 10.15 million USD.
Nigeria, ranking as Africa's top economy and the 31st largest economy in the world, possesses abundant oil and gas resources and a rapidly developing information and communication technology industry. During the event, several Nigerian product agents held talks with Taiwanese entrepreneurs, demonstrating a high level of interest in Taiwanese products. Many companies accross the globr have already established production facilities in Nigeria and Ghana, targeting the West African market. For example, Japanese companies like Toyota and Nissan, as well as German automaker Volkswagen, have set up production lines in West Africa, underscoring international companies' attention to the market potential in the region. Côte d'Ivoire's economy has taken off since the end of its civil war in 2011 and continues to attract international investors' attention. The products promoted by this delegation include automotive and machinery spare parts, LED lighting and projectors, power converters, textiles and ties, building materials, tiles, and more. Some members of the delegation also provided customized services targeting the Ghanaian market in the hope of attracting more Ghanaian buyers.
Among the buyers who attended the event, a representative from Konga, a major medical equipment distributor in Nigeria, expressed strong interest in the pneumatic transport beds provided by Shiang Long International and wished to explore further cooperation opportunities. The LED insect traps from Yuan Lin Electronics also caught the attention of Ghana's largest fishery association, and they hope to cooperate further to improve working and store environment quality in local fishing markets and houses. The managing director of Yesudem, an important automotive parts supplier in the area, and his staff visited the event to learn and explore marketing ideas for Chuang Sheng's vehicle spare parts. They are eager to combine Taiwan's high-quality products with local distribution channels to penetrate the market. Yesudem also acts as a distributor for vehicle repair parts from Japanese and Korean brands, establishing a diverse product line for consumers with varying budgets. Representatives from Amouzou, a well-known local textile company in Côte d'Ivoire, saw potential for customizing silk textiles from You Lei International to enter their local uniform market. With many high-end tourist hotels and religious groups in Côte d'Ivoire, they look forward to cooperation in developing niche markets.
Chris Lin, Director of the Taiwan Trade Center in Lagos, stated that due to the impact of the pandemic and Africa's reopening to the international market, it had been four years since TAITRA led Taiwanese companies to explore markets in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. This delegation serves as the first post-pandemic wave focusing on the West African market, aiming to accelerate the promotion of bilateral economic and trade cooperation and exchange of business information.
As global restrictions are lifted, all of TAITRA's African activities for this year have resumed as physical events. Apart from the aforementioned West African trade delegation, there are plans to visit Southeast Africa and North Africa in August and September, respectively. Additionally, in November of this year, a "Taiwan-Africa CEO Forum" will be combined with an invitation to buyers to Taiwan for a Business Opportunity Day, helping businesses expand into new African markets.