Investment Summit: Minister Woos Foreign Investors To Abuja

Foreign investors have been enjoined to leverage the favourable investment opportunities in the Federal Capital Territory to invest in Agriculture, tourism, infrastructure development, transportation, healthcare, waste management and hospitality industry.

FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, who represented the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, made this call at the just concluded Africa International Trade Exhibition (AITE) in Midtown, New York, United States of America.

While commending the summit theme: “The imperative of global trade for African SMEs as a game changer for the continent’s future prosperity”, the minister assured that the Administration remains committed to creating a stable and enabling business environment for foreign investors through the formulation of sound economic policies and programmes.

In press release issued by Austine Elemue,
S.A Media To FCT Minister of State, September 24, 2023, said the minister maintained that the participation of FCT Administration in the investment summit has opened up more opportunities for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the Federal Capital Territory.

Mahmoud, expressed satisfaction that various business groups in the United States of America have indicated interest to come and invest in Abuja, stressing that the Abuja Investment Company Limited (AICL) and Abuja Infrastructure Investment Centre (AIIC) would be working with the Ease of Doing Business unit to facilitate this process for speedy implementation.

According to her; “The administration’s participation in the investment summit was very important. The summit offers us the opportunity to present the investment opportunities in FCT, and greater opportunity to talk about the potentials in the agricultural sector.

“It was a platform to call on our people, especially the people in diaspora, to come on board and assist us to tackle the issue of food insecurity.

“And then we have tourism, infrastructure development, transportation, healthcare, waste management and hospitality industry. All these are areas that people can come and invest. And we really need collaboration and public partnership because without collaboration, without partnership we cannot achieve what we want to achieve”.

Mahmoud, also used the forum to solicit for huge investment in affordable housing, noting that the Administration is poised to improving the socio-economic status of the masses in line with the renewed hope agenda of the present administration.

At the sideline of the summit, the minister held meetings with Dee Dawkins-Haigler, former Georgia State Representative, and other potential investors. The summit also afforded business investors the opportunity to connect with Economic Development Organizations and Global Business leaders from across the United States to facilitate Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Public Private Partnership in Nigeria.

The highpoint of the event was the visit to HE, Prof. Tijjani Muhammad Bande, Nigeria Permanent Representative to the UN.