The Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has urged the business community in Italy to take advantage of the ongoing reforms by the Federal Government to invest in Nigeria.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by Dogara’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, the speaker made the appeal when he met with Italian businessmen in Rome.
The meeting was organised by Nigerian Ambassador to Italy, Yusuf Hinna.
The statement quoted Dogara as telling the Italian business community and friends of Nigeria that the National Assembly had passed some laws seeking to promote ease of doing business in the country.
“We passed a record number of bills within the shortest time to ease business condition in Nigeria.
“The whole environment is rife for foreign investors to exploit and the time is now.
“There are other areas outside oil such as agriculture and tourism as we move to diversify our economy.
“I urge you all to tell this good news to others who are not here today, that their investments are safe in Nigeria, that Nigeria is now rife for businesses to thrive.
“This year we have had significant inflow of a foreign direct investment.
“The investment climate is very conducive and you have a partner in us as the legislature, you can reach out to us for interventions in areas you find difficulties,’’ Dogara said.
The speaker further disclosed that the Federal Government had constituted a presidential committee on ease of doing business in the country.
On security, the Speaker assured the Italian business community that a lot of progress had been achieved in dislodging the terrorists, especially in the North-East.
“Insecurity was a greater concern of investors coming to Nigeria. You may have had that even though there are pockets of attacks by terrorists; they have been dislodged and decimated.
“If you are fighting an ideology, it takes time to win. There has been upsurge in number of arrest and prosecutions.”
Dogara assured that the present administration was committed to expanding opportunities for all citizens to have a decent life.
He urged Nigerians living in Italy to be law abiding and refrain from doing anything that would damage the reputation of the country.