President Tinubu assures int’l community of readiness of Nigeria for serious business

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has assured the international business community that Nigeria is ready for serious business as his administration will deal decisively with any and all entrenched interests in the country who undermine investor confidence in the Nigerian economy.
Tinubu told the Nigeria-Qatar Business and Investment Forum in Doha on Sunday that he would remove all bottlenecks standing in the way of profitable and legitimate enterprise.
He disclosed that the Nigerian economy and its systems are being reformed and upgraded, and requested Qatar’s captains of industry to report any government official who demands a bribe or any form of inducement at any point in their business endeavours moving forward with full assurance of their direct access to the President’s Office.
“I am here to give you the assurance that reforms are going on; forget about whatever you heard in the past. Whatever is the obstacle or problem that some of you might have experienced; it is in the past, because there is no obstacle in the future.
“Do not offer bribe to any of our people, and if it is requested or taken from you, report to us. You will have access to me. Nigeria will no longer be defined by the past, but by what we do now and moving forward. Do not let perceptions become a hindrance to your will to invest. Nigeria is serious about revolutionizing investment promotion. We are removing obstacles today and we are going to continue to remove all obstacles. We have done so much within nine months. And I am assuring you, it is free entry, and free exit. Your funds will flow smoothly into and out of our country. Bring your investments,” the Special Adviser to the Nigerian President on Media and Publicity quoted Tinubu as saying.
He added that Tinubu noted that the war against corruption and insecurity in Nigeria have been significantly strengthened with the appointment of the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, as National Security Adviser, NSA.
“We have a man who has won many global awards for anti-corruption as an anti-corruption czar.
“My responsibility is to tell you that Nigeria is open for business, and to assure you that your investments are safe in our hands. We have men and women of great reputation here. And we believe we can forge a good committee that will advance our discussions to fruitful conclusions.
“A nation is an artificial entity unless there are good people to drive it. People build great nations and we have great people. We are ready,” he affirmed.
The President also noted that Nigeria possesses vast opportunities in various fields, telling his host: “We have oil and gas; we have solid minerals. I do not see why we cannot become prolific partners in exploring iron ore, as well as steel production, and energy across the board.
“I am here to give you assurances in all spheres: tourism, hospitality, healthcare, and in many other opportunities that abound around us. Do not be the investors who miss out on the golden opportunity we present,” he added.
Welcoming the Nigerian delegation in the presence of Qatari captains of industry, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al Abdullah Al Thani, Qatar’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, stated that his country looks forward to exploring opportunities in Nigeria, owing to its population demography and market, as it seeks to prioritize new investments in low carbon initiatives, mineral products, petroleum chemicals, industry, and consumables.
“We look forward to working with our Nigerian counterparts to achieve our joint objectives in these sectors,” the minister said.
According to the statement, the Nigerian President is accompanied on the trip by some state governors, ministers and senior government officials.
GIK/APA