S/S Govs, foreign investors, others storm PH for NDCCITMA Economic summit

L-R: His Excellency, Denis Idahosa, Deputy Governor of Edo State; Her Excellency, Prof. (Mrs) Ngozi Nma Odu, Deputy Governor of Rivers State; Host Governor, His Excellency, Senator Bassey Edet Otu of Cross River State; Chairman, South South Governors’ Forum, His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri of Bayelsa State; His Excellency, Apostle Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State; Delta State Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Sir Monday Onyeme, at the South-South Governors’ Forum Meeting in Calabar on Monday.

By Daniel Abia, PORT HARCOURT

Governors of the South-South states, foreign and local investors, financial institutions and other stakeholders are expected in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture, NDCCITMA, Economic and Investment Summit.

The Chamber said the Niger Delta was ready for local and international investment and had the potential to become one of Africa’s leading investment destinations.

Chairman of the Board of NDCCITMA, Idaere Gogo Ogan, stated this on Saturday at a pre-summit press conference in Port Harcourt ahead of the three-day summit scheduled for September 15 to 17.

The summit, with the theme, “Driving Investment, Innovation and Industrial Growth in the Niger Delta,” is expected to bring together governments, investors, financial institutions, development partners, project developers and other strategic stakeholders.

Ogan said the summit was conceived as a private-sector-led platform to mobilise investment, accelerate industrial development and unlock the economic potential of the nine Niger Delta states.

He said the region needed to move beyond its traditional dependence on crude oil by building a diversified, industrialised and globally competitive economy driven by investment, innovation and enterprise.

“The Niger Delta is open for business. The region is ready for investment, ready for partnerships and ready to create a new economic future built on enterprise, innovation, industrialisation and sustainable development,” he said.

Ogan said the region had investment opportunities in sectors including gas and petrochemicals, agriculture and agro-processing, maritime and blue economy, manufacturing, aviation, transportation, renewable energy, tourism, digital economy, logistics, infrastructure and financial services.

He said the summit would not be another talk shop but an investment and transaction platform designed to connect projects with capital and investors with opportunities.

“Central to the summit will be dedicated Investment Deal Rooms, where investors, governments, project promoters, financial institutions and development partners can engage directly on identified and bankable projects.

“Our emphasis will be on moving from conversation to transactions, from opportunities to projects, and from commitments to implementation,” he said.

According to him, investment opportunities to be showcased include agro-industrial and oil-palm value chains, gas utilisation and gas-based industries, regional transportation and aviation, maritime infrastructure, industrial and logistics hubs, renewable energy, manufacturing, skills development and digital infrastructure.

Ogan said NDCCITMA would also use the summit to promote stronger economic integration among the nine Niger Delta states through regional value chains, economic corridors, shared infrastructure and investment platforms.

He called for stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, the nine Niger Delta state governments, organised private sector and development partners towards building a sustainable regional investment ecosystem.

The chairman said the Chamber expected the summit to produce tangible outcomes, including investment commitments, project partnerships, financing opportunities, policy recommendations and implementation frameworks.

He added that NDCCITMA was committed to making the summit an annual flagship economic platform for the region.

According to him, the platform would provide opportunities “where governments meet investors, projects meet capital, businesses meet opportunities and ideas are transformed into productive enterprises.”

Ogan urged Nigerian and foreign investors, corporations, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and development partners to take advantage of the region’s economic potential.

“The Niger Delta has the resources. It has the people. It has the market. It has the opportunities.

“What we must now mobilise are the partnerships, investments and collective determination required to convert these advantages into sustainable and shared prosperity.

“The region must move from potential to prosperity, from resources to productive assets, and from opportunities to investments,” he said.