The Federal Government is leveraging on the diversification of the nation’s economy to woo investors to key into its economic reforms, thereby creating jobs and wealth creations in the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Edet Sunday Akpan, stated this during a World Press Conference in Abuja, on the upcoming Global Leaders Investment Summit and Award (GLISA 2019) in commemoration of the United Nation’s Day for Poverty Eradication taking place in Toronto, Canada from October 16th-18th 2019.
The Summit which has the theme “Peaceful Co- existence and Synergy for Global Development ” was organized by Arise 0 Nigeria Empowerment initiative, a non-governmental organization ((VGO) for empowerment and advocacy of vulnerable youths, women, promoting peace and good governance towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs), with Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and other stakeholders.
The Permanent Secretary, represented by the Director, Investment, Mr lshaya Abednego disclosed that the administration of President Muhammad Buhari in its determination to bring about sustainable development and achieve the SGDs in Nigeria has implemented several reforms to make it easy to do business in Nigeria.
He further revealed that the reforms so far implemented have caused Nigeria to move 25 steps upwards in the World Bank ease of doing business index between 2016 and last year.
Mr.Edet stated that his ministry strongly believe that job and wealth creation can go a long way in the reduction of the security issues in the country and further emphasised that the ministry is always ready to collaborate with private sector through the Public Private Partnership (PPP), initiative in any programme that will bring about job and wealth creation, so that the country can achieve the level of peace required to attract both domestic and foreign direct investment for Nigeria.
He also stated that government has acknowledge the fact that the desired growth by public sector cannot do it alone, so to ensure the attraction of investment that is in tandem with our sustainable development goals, the government revived the model used for negotiation of Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA), to balance investor’s rights with obligations and increase investors confidence.
He commended the organizers of the summit and assured them of government’s unalloyed support towards successful summit in Canada. In his remark, a member and executive Governing Council, Arise O Nigeria who is resident in Canada, Barr. Festus Ofume, stated that the objective of the summit is to give opportunities to start up business investors both in Nigeria and Canada to boost their investment.
Barr. Festus Ofume further disclosed that there are a lot of Nigerians doing legitimate business in Canada and are willing to comeback to Nigeria to contribute their quota to the development of the Nigerian economy.
“We are going there to show that Nigeria is safe for investment” he stated.
The convener of the summit and Chairman/founder, Arise O Nigeria Empowerment Initiative, Dr Jonathan Daniel stated summit is endorsed by the UN women and in collaboration with International Peace Commission, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, African Union (AU- ECOSSOC- Nigeria) among other key stakeholders.
Dr Jonathan said the summit will boost investment opportunities between the two countries and further-improve bilateral ties between Canada and Nigeria.
Ibrahim Haruna
Deputy Director, Press
