A group of local and foreign investors on Wednesday met with the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode where they expressed their readiness to partner with the state government on infrastructural development.
The meeting held at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, had directors and team leaders of top multinationals in attendance including Julius Berger, JP Morgan, Wested Group, Contraco Nigeria, among others.
Director of Julius Berger, Mutiu Sunmonu who spoke with Government House Correspondents shortly after the meeting, said the session with the Governor was fruitful, just as he expressed optimism that it would go a long way to define the way the state government intends to go in boosting its economy.
“I could say that the governor has very bold steps and very bold ideas for Lagos state. This interactive session has also opened the way for further discussions such that we can actualise some of the projects that we have discussed today. I think it’s really a thing of pride that His Excellency has opened his door for investors”, he said.
On his part, the Managing Director, Senior Country Officer for JP Morgan in Nigeria, Oluwatosin Adewuyi commended the Governor for convening the meeting, saying his company is excited to partner the state government in achieving its economic goals.
He added that it would go a long way to enhance the confidence of investors to put their money in projects that would improve the lives of the citizenry.
“I’m very excited, some bold and creative plans and I believe that is actually what is required in the next decade in Lagos.
“It’s always refreshing to spend time with the Governor who understands financing, and he does. It was two hours well spent and its best for us to move Lagos forward.
“We’re a global bank and so essentially our key skill set is to attract investors into countries and taking local companies out of Nigeria to raise capital and so from our perspective there’s a myriad of projects that need to be financed and that’s where we need to come in”, he said.
Leader of the team of investors, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade said both the state government and the local and international investors and banks are looking forward to a long term partnership that will be beneficial to the growth of the state.
Governor Ambode in his remarks said the meeting was in line with his campaign promise to open the state for greater business as well as create enabling environment for investments to thrive.
He also assured that the state will witness substantial infrastructural development in the first four years of his administration.
“What we have just done is to meet with a group of investors who have actually taken keen interest in what has been happening in Lagos in the last six weeks”.
“We have business men and investors who are interested in our infrastructure, water, health and also power. Like I’ve always said, Lagos is going to greater heights, they have shown commitment this afternoon, they have also promised that the next four years, Lagos will be something totally different from what it used to be”.
“We’ve had fruitful discussions; we’ve looked at areas where we can partner together and areas where they can actually even invest freely, because they have confidence in Lagos state and that’s why they’ve been able to demonstrate that Lagos is actually open for every other investor to come into”, he said.
Governor Ambode said the state government has shown its capacity to become the hub of investment in Nigeria, just as he assured the investors of his commitment to ensure they get return on their investment.
“We’re committed. We’ve shown that we’re credible enough to be the hub of investment in Nigeria. We’ve also shown that we are going to be transparent and we are going to be credible and that we would obey the rule of law and ensure that investments are safe in Lagos.
“As you’ll see, we believe strongly that we want to grow the GDP of Lagos and create more jobs for our people and that’s the step we’ve taken today, we’ll take the right steps and the right decisions”, the Governor said.
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