Nigeria, Ready to Work With Foreign Investors Interested in Growing The Economy – Fashola
Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, says Nigeria is prepared to work with foreign investors interested in growing the nation’s economy.
Fashola said this when the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs delegation, led by the Under-Secretary of State, Mr Matti Anttonen, paid him a visitin his office in Abuja.
He also said that the ministry was determined to achieve diversification of the economy and so there is the need to collaborate with foreign investors committed to transform Nigeria’s challenges into opportunities.
The Minister added that there is a need to have players and investors operating from within the country; not briefcase investors or suitcase investors.
“So, we will work with those who want to establish very solid footprints here; grow within our economy; work with us to turn our challenges into opportunities for our people.
“We want to collaborate with investors who would play by our rules in order to create inclusion and mutual benefit,” he said.
Fashola expressed confidence that Nigeria would benefit immensely from Finland’s wealth of experience in power distribution and energy saving technologies.
He said that Nigeria is hoping that foreign investors will come to boost local production of solar panels to help reduce the electricity tariff and create jobs for the Nigerian people.
The minister said Finnish delegation visit was “very constructive”, adding that it would afford the ministry the opportunity to help address the difficulties investors were contending with in the country.
Earlier, the Leader of the delegation, Anttonen said that the they were in the country to further strengthen economic relations between the two nations.
He added that Finland had knowledge to share with Nigeria in the area of power distribution to help reduce losses of power between the generation and distribution companies.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the delegation comprised the country’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Pirjo Suomela-Chowdhury and some businessmen from its energy sector.
