The Nigeria-Slovenia Chamber of Commerce on Thursday urged the Nigerian business community to explore emerging business opportunities in Slovenia as a way of expanding their global reach and improving livelihoods.
The call was made at the chamber’s 2025 Last Quarter Business Forum held in Lagos, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria.
The forum, which is a routine engagement platform, is designed to inform businesses about the latest trade and investment opportunities of mutual benefit to both Nigeria and Slovenia.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of the Nigeria-Slovenia Chamber of Commerce, Mr Uche Udungwor, described the relationship between the two countries as a growing bilateral economic partnership.
He said the chamber, which was established to promote and facilitate trade and investment between Nigeria and Slovenia, had continued to make positive impacts in both countries.
According to Udungwor, the mandate of the chamber includes providing a forum that represents the interests of both nations, promoting broad commercial and industrial exchanges, and encouraging cooperation in technical and scientific innovation through regular information sharing on trade and investment opportunities.
He added that the chamber also advises its members on opportunities, challenges, and legislation affecting Nigeria-Slovenia trade, while encouraging the exchange of ideas on trade promotion between both countries.
Udungwor disclosed that Slovenia’s major imports include organic chemicals, agro products such as cocoa beans, iron and steel or metal scraps, wood, and mineral fuels, including petroleum products.
On the export side, he noted that Slovenia’s major exports include pharmaceuticals, industrial machinery and equipment, automobiles and automotive components, furniture, as well as strong participation in the ICT and renewable energy sectors.
However, he described the current trade balance between both countries as “not quite encouraging,” citing United Nations COMTRADE data which indicated that Slovenia’s imports from Nigeria stood at $5.7 million in 2022.
Udungwor further described Slovenia, a Central European country with about 2.1 million people, as a promising frontier for Nigerian investors.
He explained that the country shares borders with Italy, Austria, Croatia, and Hungary, and has a 2024 Gross Domestic Product estimated at $72.49 billion, supported by a low-risk and stable business environment.
He added that Slovenia has been a member of the European Union since 2004, joined the Schengen Area in 2007, and is also a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
“Slovenia today is a stable, vibrant democracy that offers a stimulating business environment and represents a bridge between the Balkan, Central European and Western European countries,” Udungwor said.
He assured Nigerian entrepreneurs that the Nigeria-Slovenia Chamber of Commerce is ready to provide up-to-date information and professional guidance on Slovenia’s economy, companies, products, and services for mutual benefit.
One of the participants, Mr Muyiwa Ajose, said his partnership with the chamber had significantly boosted his agro exports to Slovenia, describing the collaboration as beneficial to his business growth.
