(Ecofin Agency) - Danish Arla Foods announced the creation of two joint ventures in West Africa, in Nigeria and Senegal.

Joint company Arly Senegal SA, launched with the Attieh conglomerate which holds 25% of shares, is to enable Arla gain foothold in the country, with a target of 32 million Euros in revenues by 2020.

In Nigeria however, the aim of the company is to triple its revenues to 240 million Euros by the same deadline. Insisting on the importance of the first African economy in the Africa strategy of the group, Steen Hadsbjerg, senior manager at Arla for sub-Saharan Africa declared: “Nigeria is one of the biggest markets in Africa for dairy products. Arla’s success in Africa necessarily passes through success in Nigeria”.

It is worth highlighting that this double move comes as Arla Foods recently lost the battle for the ownership of Arab Dairy Products in Egypt. This loss did not prevent the company from declaring an objective of 420 million Euros in revenues on the continent by 2020. And symbolic of its hunger for Africa, the Danish quickly launched itself in a joint venture with Egyptian Juhayna.