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Nigerian investment in Ghana has now soared to well over US$2 billion, with a strong concentration in the banking, insurance, petroleum and real estate sectors. The Nigerian Ambassador to Ghana, Ademola Oluseyi Onafookan, added that investments in the informal trade sector could also be amounting to another few billions of dollars. In an exclusive interview with The Finder, Ambassador Onafookan said Ghana still remains Nigeria�s largest trade partner and favourite investment hub in the West African sub-region. Ghana imports the largest share of all Nigerian oil exports in the West African sub-region. Likewise, many Nigerian banks are now trading in Ghana, thereby making the Ghanaian banking sector more competitive. Currently, there are seven Nigerian banks operating in Ghana. These include United Bank of Africa (UBA), First Atlantic Bank, Zenith Bank, and Access Bank. In the insurance sector, Equity Assurance, Regency Alliance and NEM Insurance are all Nigerian firms operating strongly on the Ghanaian market. African Petroleum (AP), Oando and So Energy are other Nigerian companies operating in the Ghanaian petroleum sector. Ambassador Onafookan said the relationship between the two countries has grown steadily over the past few years, and added that he was very optimistic the relationship will even get firmer in the coming years. He said despite Ghanaians considering the involvement of Nigerians in the retail business as illegal, �their activities benefit Ghanaians too and there was the need for amicable resolution of the issue.� He noted that since his arrival in Ghana in June 2012, he, together with the Nigerian Minister of Trade, has discussed the issue with former Minister of Trade and Industry of Ghana, Haruna Iddrisu. He added that he believes the issue will be resolved in the spirit of ECOWAS, with the ECOWAS constitution serving as a guide. �Nigerians will not come here and emasculate Ghanaians out of their business. It is not right. We will not support that. But at the same time, there are Ghanaians also trading in Nigeria. If both say �shut down your operation,� we will be going back to what happened in the 70s and 80s and that is not what we want,� Ambassador Onafookan said. He said both parties should rather come together and look for a way forward so that both the Nigerian Union of Tradersin Ghana (NUTAG) and the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) will be happy. He urged Nigerians resident in Ghana to co-operate with the Ghanaian authorities and government to maintain peace and contribute to the growth of Ghana. He added that they should pay their taxes and not perceive Ghanaians and GUTA as their enemies. �We are brothers and sisters and they should see it as such. They should try and resolve their differences amicably,� Ambassador Onafookan said. On the issue of the signing of the bilateral trade agreement between Nigeria and Ghana, which was approved in 2010 by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Ambassador Onafookan said: �The ball is in Nigeria�s court. It will be signed soon.� Ambassador Onafookan urged Ghanaian businesses to take advantage of Nigeria�s large market and invest there. He said Kasapreko Company Limited and Burger Food Industries are two major Ghanaian companies enjoying Nigeria�s market. He added that many more Ghanaian companies could replicate their example to increase their revenue margins. He affirmed Nigeria�s willingness to partner and assist Ghana with technical skills and experience in its oil and gas sector. Ambassador Onafookan said he was very happy to be in Ghana and thanked President John Mahama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Hanna Tetteh, and the former Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, who he described as �a fantastic friend and brother working in the spirit of ECOWAS and brotherhood.�