Business:
The Nigerian economy is to enjoy more foreign investments with the arrival of 14 European companies in the second quarter of the year. The companies, drawn from across Western Europe, have concluded plans to invest in real estate, construction, refinery projects, mining, agriculture among others and seek local partners in Africa.
This project is co-ordinated by (AFRIT) Integrated Consult an Italy based consulting firm with her outreach in Nigeria and they consult for multinational investors to create partnerships between Western investors and African firms seeking financial and technical collaboration and investments in a bid to spur economic growth and social progress in Africa. Again, the search for more Nigerian partners is still ongoing by the European consortium of 14 firms.
In addition, AFRIT President Barr. Luciano Noce stated that this is the second AFRIT visit to Nigeria and they have come on a familiarization tour, feasibility study and potential investment search. The project manager for AFRIT, Engr. Joseph Edo Risiagbon further highlighted that every reasonable businessman or company will realize that Nigeria has got what it takes as the giant of Africa, to drive and sustain investments with a unique hinge on her population strength. We believe Nigeria’s economy is still the best in Africa, and reveals that AFRIT seeks more local partners to achieve infrastructure development and a platform for job creation in the country and also provide equal opportunities within the working environment while helping the workforce improve their skills and know-how, he said.
Marketing and Communications Director, AFRIT, Mr. Francis Okechukwu Amaechi said, “we strongly believe in the Nigerian economy and the company channels businesses to Africa in general and Nigeria in particular, to serve the need of local industries, and because of this, we promote the interaction between international investors and African entrepreneurs, reduce poverty in Africa and improve the standards of living by creating job opportunities.
Amaechi said further that AFRIT submits a protocol of cooperation to Western companies with the target to train and continuously retrain the local workforce; ensure the sale of goods produced in Nigeria in order to improve the local economy, support equal working conditions between local and foreign staff, participate in humanitarian projects of social development by committing 0.02% of the contract value to providing basic social facilities like schools, pipe-borne water, hospitals etc.
Emmanuel Excel Ogbeide, Chief Exe-cutive Officer, Business Builders Limited, a Lagos based firm that promotes international trades and investment has partnered with AFRIT on her mission to Nigeria in linking local businesses with foreign investors. He said during the inspection of some projects that such opportunity is what the country needs at a time like this to help boost economic growth, employment and human development in Nigeria. He reiterated that this unique opportunity is best described as Entrepreneurs and Investors Match-making services and urge Nigerian entre-preneurs to take advantage of this.
He believes if Nigerian investors can queue to it, socio-economic development will be achieved.
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