Opening of the new Honorary Consulate of Finland in Lagos


The Nordic country and one of the most competitive economies in the world, the Republic of Finland, has opened a Honorary Consulate in Lagos.

The Honorary Consul of Finland is Dr. Kingsley Kolapo Akinroye who received his execuatur from the Honorable Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru already earlier this Autumn.

The Honorary Consulate was opened by the Ambassador of Finland to Nigeria, Her Excellency Mrs Riitta Korpivaara, on November 19th 2012. The Reception, hosted by Her Excellency, to mark the occasion took place in the Radisson Blu Hotel on the Victoria Island in Lagos (upon invitation only).

Dr. Kingsley Akinroye is a medical doctor and highly a respected specialist in his field, the cardiology. He has pursued medical studies and a research fellowship in Finland and notably acted as the Secretary General of the Finland-Nigeria Friendship Association for many years now. He has extensive contacts in the business-, cultural- and political spheres.

The Honorary Consulate will be at the service of Finnish citizens, who could be in need of its consular services. The applications for Schengen-visas and residence permits by Nigerians will also in the future pass through the Embassy of Finland in Abuja.

The primary focus of the Honorary Consulate will be on the promotion of trade and investments between the business-communities of Finland and the Lagos State. Finland eyes the Nigerian market and Lagos in particular as one of the most exciting emerging economies in the world.

Finland already promotes business-ties through its Embassy and the Finland Trade Center, FINPRO; they are however located in Abuja, though the office of the Trade Center has a small presence also in Lagos. The Honorary Consulate will be a significant asset in these efforts.

The Ambassador of Finland, Her Excellency Mrs Riitta Korpivaara, commented the opening of the Honorary Consulate: “Lagos has always been important to Finland. This is where the first Finnish Embassy on the African continent was established, in 1963. Today, this is where Finnish companies should be, and invest.”

World-known Finnish companies include, among many others, the ICT-companies Nokia and Nokia-Siemens Networks, the top-class power-company Wärtsilä, the maker of elevators and other machinery Kone, the ports’ equipments manufacturers Konecranes and Cargotec, the biomass and pulp companies UPM and Stora Enso, mining-technology companies such as Metso Minerals and Outotec, the leading refining business Neste Oil, and still as an example of a high-technology company the Vaisala, the maker of meteorological measuring technology for the safety of aviation.

For additional information, please visit www.finlandnigeria.org