By Lizzy Okoji
The Federal Government will continue has to provide measures and incentives to ensure that Nigeria’s investment incentives are profitable to foreign companies.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Belgium, Obinna Onowu, made this known in Brussels, during a ‘‘meet and greet’’ with members of the Belgium-Luxembourg-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce (BLNCC).
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Nigerian mission in Belgium and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.
Onowu said that the business parley was an opportunity to update the international investors of the huge opportunities in Nigeria.
He stressed that Nigeria was a major investment hub in Africa and the largest economy in Africa where prospective foreign investors are assured of return on their investment.
”For a country that had just crawled out of a recession last year, in the first quarter, it recorded 0.5 per cent growth in its GDP while in the second quarter, 5.01 per cent which served as a huge plus to the economy.
”It is noteworthy that the 5.01 per cent growth recorded in the second quarter, 92 per cent of it was from the non-oil sector,” he said.
Acknowledging the challenges facing the country, Onowu stated that these challenges were potential business opportunities for investors.
”The present Nigerian Government had worked tirelessly to diversify the economy beyond oil and creating opportunities for investment in the non-oil sectors.
“Especially in the areas of Agriculture, ICT, Health, Manufacturing, and Construction which have all yielded positive results,” he added.
He further recognized the presence of SIAT Group of Companies and DEME group in Nigeria.
Onowu said these two were making huge profits in the country, urging Belgian companies should to explore the untapped resources Nigeria had to offer.
Mr Chris Amssoms, Chairman of the BLNCC, recognised the Nigerian economy as the most important economy on the African continent.
Ammsons said that it was his honour to introduce Onowu to the business community in Belgium. (NAN)
