President Muhammadu Buhari said Tuesday in Paris that one of the key
objectives of his administration’s ongoing economic reforms was to restore
the confidence of investors in the Nigerian economy.
Addressing leading French businessmen and investors at the headquarters of
the Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF), President Buhari also
reaffirmed his government’s determination to curb corruption in Nigeria.
“Our ongoing economic reforms are designed to restore business confidence
and block leakages and wastage of public resources. We are also focused on
the recovery of stolen wealth belonging to the country,” the President
told participants in a Nigeria/France Investment Forum.
President Buhari said that his administration will do all within its
powers to sustain Nigeria’s position as the number one investment
destination in Africa.
“With a blessed land, rich in agricultural and mineral resources, skilled
and low-cost labour, large market, a robust and competitive private sector
anchored on investment policies and legislation to guarantee
predictability and consistency with global business practices, we are
poised for double digit growth.
“There is much more to our country than oil and we are determined to
consolidate on industrializing Nigeria and diversifying its economy.
“The privatisation of key sectors of our economy, which was started under
previous administrations, will be pursued and expanded to include other
sectors. This exercise will be conducted in an open, transparent and
competitive manner.
“We recognize the private sector as the engine of growth and a veritable
partner in our economic agenda, and will therefore give the fullest
possible support to foreign and domestic entrepreneurs.
“Our administration is poised to redress the serious infrastructural gaps
in Nigeria, raise production to create more jobs, build capital and
stimulate further growth and prosperity of the country,” President Buhari
told the entrepreneurs.
Pierre Gattaz, the President of MEDEF, announced that the umbrella
organization of about 800,000 French manufacturing firms and businesses
will undertake a trade mission to Nigeria next month.
Mr. Gattaz said that the MEDEF trade delegation will comprise of
prospective investors in agriculture, mining, automobiles, energy, skills
development, light manufacturing, food processing, transportation
services and many other areas.
