President Bola Ahned Tinubu will use his participation at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, India, to shop for more foreign direct investments (FDI) for Nigeria.
This explains why he will be traveling with 21 powerful Nigerian investors.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, stated at the presidential villa in Abuja that the president has already scheduled several meetings with world and business leaders to advance Nigeria’s development.
The summit is scheduled to take place between 9th and 10th of September, 2023.
The presidential spokesman disclosed that Tinubu will be meeting with some potential investors in the steel development, electricity generation, transmission and distribution, shipyard building capacity sectors among others, which will generate more job opportunities for Nigerians.
“We brief you today on His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s preparations for the upcoming G20 Summit in New Delhi, India on September 9 to the 10th of this month. The focus of the Summit will be heavily predicated on the urgent need to attract foreign direct investment in-country and to ensure that we can mobilize private capital from around the world toward the development of Nigeria’s public infrastructure.
“In addition to that, we are focused on engagements that will be dealing with critical sectors of the national economy, involving steel development, involving electricity generation, transmission and distribution, involving shipyard building capacity, and involving several other industries, which we know to be labour intensive, to ensure that we can create as many jobs for our teeming youth population as possible,” Ngelale stated.
He added that the President will be meeting with a cross-section of heads of state as well as industrial leaders, Titans, chief executive officers of some of the world’s most valuable companies, particularly those of Indian origin.
Furthermore, he hinted that President Tinubu will be hosting a CEO roundtable, which will be made up of more than 20 chief executive officers of major industries across multiple sectors of the Indian economy to ensure that Nigeria leverage their interest in investing in the country, in such a way that suits the industrialization initiative of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.
“In addition to that CEO roundtable, there will be at least five meetings with the CEOs of five major industries in India, including Jindal Steel and Power Company, amongst a few others that would have a very important impact on our ability to develop the steel sector in our country,” he said.
Ngelale noted that the president will be meeting with other heads of State, including the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, as well as the Nigerian community in the country.
“In addition to that, His Excellency, Mr. President will be meeting with the President of Brazil, President da Silva, he will be meeting with German Chancellor, Olaf Schultz. He will be meeting with Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, he will be meeting with the South Korean President, Yoon Suk Yeol, and a few other heads of state on the sidelines of the G20.
“Of course, as is the custom, the President will also be meeting with the Nigerian community in India and he will also provide a set of remarks to the entire Summit involving all heads of state present and many other industry and business leaders from around the world.
“The G20 is a major event for our country at this time and we are going to ensure, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, that we take maximum advantage of the opportunities presented to bring value to the country, to create jobs for our people and ultimately, to generate and expand existing revenues in the country to ensure the government can effectively fund and sponsor its programmes and policies across sectors, so there’s a lot to cover.
“Of course, when we arrive in India next week, there will be live updates from India, which I will be providing day after day to ensure that Nigerians have full access to what our President is doing on their behalf,” the Special Adviser stated.
Mr. President is expected to travel with 21 powerful Nigerian investors which include Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Mr. Tony Elumelu, Alhaji Abdul Sama Rabiu and Mr. Femi Otedola.
Other investors to be in the president’s entourage are Mr Kola Karim, Hajiya Bola Shagaya, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, Sir Emeka Offor, Chief Rasaq Akanni Okoya, Prince Arthur Eze, Mr Allen Onyeama, Mr Cosmas Maduka, Alhaji Musbahu Mohammed Bashir and Mr Jim Ovia.
Others are Dr Oritsedere Otubu, Mr Adewale Tinubu, Mr Gbenga Agboola, Mr Olamide Diekola Aina, Mr Mitchell Elegbe and Mr Idris Bamidele Saliu.