The First Nigeria-China Governors' Investment Forum opened in the Chinese commercial city, Guangzhou yesterday with not less than 15 Governors from Nigeria actively participating.
The Forum offered states the opportunity to showcase their potentials, comparative investment advantages and the efforts being made by the various governments to create the right environment for investment.
The Governors took turns to make presentations with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State being the first to be called upon to tell the Benue story.
Below are highlights of Governor Ortom's presentation titled 'Invest In Benue State, Nigeria'. Governor Ortom answered the question:
Why Benue State?
a. Benue is the food basket of Nigeria, the most populous country and biggest economy in Africa
b. Benue is Nigeria and Africa's best agricultural investment destination
c. The state has very fertile soil, endowed with rich alluvial deposits
d. Benue boasts vast land for mineral exploration
e. It is a major gateway to Northern and South Eastern Nigeria markets and access to various West and Central African markets via Cameroun
f. The state is a fantastic location for the development of agriculture-allied industries due to accessibility and abundance of raw materials.
Investment Opportunities:
a. There abound in Benue, opportunities for the establishment of small scale industries for paper conversion, leather and plastic footwear, manufacturing of metals such as knots, bolts, nails, locks crown corks, tin containers etc
b. Establishment of industries for the manufacturing of glass and electric bulbs due to the availability of feldspar and wolframite
c. Small and medium scale farming of agricultural produce and seedlings such as rice, grains, tubers, nuts, fruits, fisheries etc
d. Establishment of agro allied industries such as flour processing, meat canning, juice extraction from medium scale to large scale
e. Creation of industrial parks and warehouses.
Incentives For Investment:
a. Hand holding facilitation and support for investment entry and doing business in Benue State
b. Access to land and consent to mortgage
c. Facilitation with Federal Government regulatory agencies for approval, permits, licenses etc
d. Special attention on infrastructure to support investment projects
e. Policy constituency, sustainability and proactive removal of obstacles on the part of investors
f. Guaranteed host community cooperation and support for investment prospects
What Benue Seeks:
a. Joint venture through equity participation with foreign investors
b. Public Private Partnership
c. Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT)
d. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
* A number of meetings with willing investors on the sidelines of the summit followed the presentation by Governor Ortom.
