Investor confidence in Nigeria is rapidly gaining momentum - Aganga

Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga has said policy changes implemented by the Federal Government in recent months and improved corporate governance has provided an enabling environment for domestic and foreign investors.

Speaking at the New York Stock Exchange, Aganga said investors confidence in Nigeria is rapidly gaining momentum with a significant number of Nigerian and global companies investing in Nigeria.

Trade and Investment Minister, Aganga

For the second year running, the United Nations Conference on Trade And Development (UNCTAD) reports for 2013 and 2012 ranked Nigeria as Africa’s number one destination for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

 Nigeria was ranked fourth globally in terms of average returns on investments at 35.5 percen. The country’s current growth rate is between 6-7 percent, well ahead of the global average.

Recent major announcements and investments in 2013, such as the Dangote Group’s $9 billion investment and GE's $1 billion (USD$250 million for capital investment commitment in 2013 with expected completion of construction in 2017) and Power investments, would bolster Nigeria’s position to maintain its lead as Africa’s number one investment destination and potentially surpass the 2012 FDI figure.

Aganga further said the recent investment by the Dangote Group of $9 billion to build one of Africa’s largest industrial complexes and oil refineries in Nigeria is a significant manifestation of investor confidence in Nigeria and provides a major boost to the country’s industrial sector and long-term growth prospects.

In early this month, the Dangote Group signed a $3.3 billion loan finance deal with Nigerian and foreign banks to fund the investment to build the largest oil refinery in Africa as well as a fertilizer and petrochemical plant that would not only see Nigeria attain self  sufficiency in refined petroleum products but also become a net exporter       of petroleum products by the end of 2016.

Dangote, President and CEO of the Dangote Group, said:  “As an investor who believes in Nigeria, knows Nigeria well and whose prosperity was made in Nigeria, we are confident in the long term growth prospects of this great country.

Commenting on the latest landmark $9 billion investment, Managing Director and CEO of Nigeria’s Bank of Industry (BOI), Ms Evelyn Oputu said: “it would produce the most fundamental positive impact on the structure, growth and development of Nigeria’s economy.

The Bank of Industry is fully committed to providing financial and business support services to facilitate the transformation of Nigeria’s industrial sector, domestication of the country’s production capacity and it’s long term economic growth.