China, India, Mexico, others plan fresh investments in Nigeria

Ambassadors from the Chinese, Indian, Mexican and Indonesian governments have said that they will continue to deepen investment in the Nigerian economy.

The envoys spoke at the International Business Conference and Expo 2023, organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the theme, ‘Invest Nigeria’.

In his remarks, the Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, Jian Chun, said the Chinese government would to deepen its ties with Nigeria through sustainable investments.

He noted that many Chinese companies such as Huawei had already begun to consolidate their presence in Nigeria through strategic investments.

India’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Shri Balasubramanian, said that in the past four decades, India had made investments spanning across the pharmaceutical, food and manufacturing sectors to the tune of $19bn.

“So, there have been a lot of investments, a lot of projects in Nigeria in the last four decades,” he said.

He said plans were currently afloat to make investments in new areas such as renewable energy due to demands occasioned by the changing times that we live in.

The Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Usra Harahap, described Nigeria as its strategic partner in Africa. He said the Southeast Asian country would deepen ties with Nigeria, especially in the economic sector.

On his part, the Mexican Ambassador to Nigeria, Alfredo Miranda, said his country would strengthen economic relations with Nigeria.

In his opening remarks, the President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Michael Olawale-Cole, said the conference provided an excellent opportunity to discuss the Nigerian economy and identify investment opportunities.

Represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Gboyega Shoyanwo, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said that a vibrant investment landscape was essential for sustainable development.