The Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON)has exported 72 tonnes of aluminium ingots to Europe, one year after its sale to a Russian firm, RUSAL, an embassy official has disclosed.

ALSCON is located in Ikot Abasi, Akwa-Ibom.

Mr. Sergey Rogov, Charge D' Affaires in the Russian Embassy in Abuja, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at a ceremony to mark the Russian National Day.

Rogov said that with this feat, Nigeria had the potential to become one of the major producers of aluminum in Africa.

``RUSAL-ALSCON is a pioneer of the Russian big business in Nigeria and its achievements show how mutually beneficial relations between foreign investors and Nigerian authorities can be built,'' he said.

Rogov also explained that the partnership further underscores the unique example of successful and effective privatisation of state property.

He said that when fully modernised, the plant would create more than 20,000 jobs for youths. ``This shows real and impressive results and corresponds with the plans of Nigerian government to create jobs in the Niger Delta. It is also in line with its desire to industrialise this region and for the country to become one of the 20 largest economies in the world by 2020,'' he stressed.

The envoy, who described the bilateral relations between both countries as cordial, said the third session of the Nigerian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission had been scheduled for the end of the year in Moscow.

``Trade, economic, scientific and technical co-operation are some of the issues that will be discussed,'' Rogov said.

Also speaking, the President, Nigeria-Russia Business Council, Mr. Goodie Ibru, noted that both countries had some ``experimental commonalities.''

``Both countries are emerging economies; while Russia has had decades of communist rule, Nigeria had experienced long years of military dictatorship,'' he said.

Ibru expressed the hope that Russians, who built the Ajaokuta Steel Plant up to 80 per cent, would show renewed interest in the completion of the plant.

``The completion of the plant will provide the platform for increased industrialisation in Nigeria, which will create employment and rapid economic growth,'' he stressed.