Indonesia has urged Nigerian businesses to invest in its manufacturing, agriculture and renewable energy sectors, promising special incentives, including potential tax benefits and preferential treatment for investment-related processes.
A senior trade analyst with Indonesia’s trade promotion authorities, Iska Huberta Sinural, disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing Nigerian journalists in Jakarta ahead of the 41st Trade Expo Indonesia.
Sinural said the incentives were part of efforts to strengthen commercial relations between both countries and encourage Nigerian businesses to establish operations in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
“There will be special treatment actually when you have to invest here. For the investment, we will give special or privilege. The visa for investors will be a bit different,” she said.
“The tax and also other things will be incentives.”
She said Nigeria had remained an important source of buyers for the annual exhibition, ranking fourth in 2022, third in 2024 and fourth in 2025.
According to her, Indonesia wants to move beyond conventional trade transactions to build lasting business partnerships through investment, manufacturing and product development.
“I mean, this is bilateral. It’s not always you buying from us, you can also invest in us. We also welcome you to introduce us to your product,” Sinural said.
She argued that Nigerian investments in Indonesia could improve access to goods, strengthen relationships with manufacturers and ease some of the difficulties associated with international shipping.
“The option of shipping is a bit hard. So why don’t you invest here? And then it will be easy for us to get the products when you invest here,” she added.
The trade analyst also encouraged Nigerian companies to explore opportunities to export locally produced food, coffee and beverages to Indonesia, noting that businesses could adapt their products to suit local tastes, packaging preferences and consumer needs.
The 41st Trade Expo Indonesia, scheduled to hold from October 14 to 18, is expected to bring together exporters, international buyers, investors and government representatives to facilitate trade and investment partnerships.
Sinural said the 2026 edition had attracted about 1,600 exhibitors, exceeding its initial target of 1,500.
She added that the organisers had set a transaction target of $17.5bn, up from $16bn at the previous edition.
Beyond increasing transaction values, she said, Indonesia wanted to attract buyers from more countries and encourage investment agreements.
“It’s not only to have the transaction, but also to have a relationship and we also hope, in this condition, that more investments can be made during this trade expo in Indonesia,” she said.
The organisers have invited representatives from at least 30 countries as Indonesia seeks to expand government-to-government engagement alongside business partnerships.
Speaking separately, a representative of the Export Enhancement Division of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Muhammad Alpvy, said there was significant untapped potential for trade and investment between Indonesia and African countries, particularly Nigeria.
He identified palm oil, rubber products, healthcare manufacturing, agricultural processing, furniture and renewable energy as areas where businesses in both countries could deepen cooperation.
Alpvy said Indonesian companies could establish manufacturing operations in Nigeria, while Nigerian businesses could invest in Indonesia to strengthen supply chains and create more sustainable commercial relationships.
He estimated that Nigeria’s delegation to Indonesia had grown from between 100 and 150 participants in the previous year to about 250 in 2026.
He said the increased participation offered opportunities to expand trade, although the final value of transactions would depend on the products involved, quantities purchased and agreements reached.
Alpvy, however, identified shipping costs, tariffs and other trade barriers as challenges that needed to be addressed to improve bilateral commerce.
He also stressed opportunities in waste management and renewable energy, including the conversion of agricultural and animal waste into alternative fuels.
According to him, businesses from both countries had discussed possible cooperation in renewable energy and factory development, but further talks were needed to establish suitable investment arrangements.
“First thing first about the investment is to make the format, how we can collaborate,” he said.
Alpvy urged Nigerian businesses to consider long-term investments in Indonesia and encouraged Indonesian firms to explore opportunities in Nigeria, stressing that local production, technology transfer and sustained partnerships could strengthen economic ties between the two countries.
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