Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCITMA) has said it is working to catalyse up to $5billion in structured investment commitments in the next over five years.
Chairman, NDCCITMA, Idaere Gogo-Ogan disclosed this during a press conference held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, ahead of the Niger Delta Economic and Investment Summit (NDEI Summit), scheduled to hold in May this year.
Gogo-Ogan explained that the summit is not simply another gathering, but a deliberate platform for investment mobilisation, enterprise growth, industrial expansion, and regional coordination.
He revealed that the summit which will honour the presence of President Bola Tinubu as a special guest, feature the Prime Minister of Barbados, as the keynote speaker, bringing a global perspective on economic transformation and strategic development.
It would recalled that in 2024, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) had revealed that 767 manufacturers shutdown operations while 335 became distressed in 2023 in the country.
In ensuring the Niger Delta region remains a hub of industries and investments both international and locally, the NDCCITMA boss said with the summit “Is a moment to move from discussion to delivery, from potential to productivity, and from a region known mainly for extraction to a region recognised for value creation, innovation, and shared prosperity “.
He recalled that in a recent Niger Delta Business Roundtable where policy leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, development institutions, and strategic stakeholders were brought together from across the nine Niger Delta States, and discussed on how to urgently transit their discussion from ambition to implementation.
He said, “We must organise ourselves more effectively, deepen private sector participation, Unlock bankable opportunities, and align practical outcomes that our people can see and benefit from. The summit is our collective response to that challenge.”
Gogo-Ogan stressed: “Our ambition is bold, but it is achievable. We are working to catalyse up to USD 5 billion in structured investment commitments over the next years. It pursued with discipline, coordination, and speed, this pipeline can support more than 500,000 direct and indirect jobs and contribute meaningful to a stronger regional economy.”
He however, appealed to the governors of the region to embrace the summit not as a the project of one institution alone, but a regional economic platform.
“I call on every governor in the Niger Delta to join hands with NDCCITMA, align with this shared agenda, present priority opportunities from your states, support policy and infrastructure reforms, and help project the Niger Delta to investors as one region with many strengths and one future worth building together,” Gogo-Ogan added.
Earlier, in his remarks, Chairman, local organising committee for the summit and NDCCITMA board secretary, Dr Solomon Edebiri said the chambers plays a critical role in advocating for investment, supporting MSMEs through enterprise development scheme, facilitating trade, and driving economic development.
He noted that the summit is expected to deliver significant economic, social, and institutional benefits to th region by serving as a catalyst for investment, innovation, and sustainable development it will enhance.
Edebiri added, “We are prepared to host a world class economic and investment summit. This summit is a gateway to investment, a platform for innovation, and a catalyst for industrial growth in the Niger Delta”.
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