Spain has emerged one of the biggest importers of Nigeria’s crude with its 2014 purchase worth €6.5 billion representing 14 percent of Spain’s gas consumption, and eight percent of its oil consumption in that year.
About 40,000 Nigerians currently live and work in Spain.
The Ambassador of Spain to Nigeria, Mr. Alphonso Sebastian de Erice, presented these figures as evidence of blossoming Spanish-Nigerian business ties during a courtesy call on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, in Abuja on Tuesday.
The envoy also disclosed that an invitation has been extended to Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry to dialogue with its counterparts from 15 other nations at the meeting of Counter-Terrorism Committee coming up in Madrid on July 28, 2015.
Both countries are currently non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
“Spain has also suffered terrorism attacks. In 2004, 200 people were killed in the Metro in Madrid. We would like to support Nigeria in the anti-terrorism fight…you can count on Spain in development, security, immigration and other issues,” he said and expressed the condolences of his government over the recent terrorist attacks in Maiduguri.
