Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has assured prospective investors that the state is safe, stable and open for business, urging them to explore investment opportunities in agriculture, livestock, fisheries, housing and infrastructure.
Key Highlights
- Zulum says Borno is “safe, stable and open for business” at an investment roundtable in Kano.
- About 40 prospective investors attended the event, supported by GIZ, the EU and the German government.
- The meeting followed a Lagos engagement where Borno secured nine investment commitments.
- Incentives include streamlined land acquisition, infrastructure support, industrial clusters and a supportive tax framework.
- Mairo Mandara says Borno has moved from emergency to recovery.
Zulum gave the assurance on Monday at the second private sector engagement and investment roundtable held at the Tahir Guest Palace in Kano, with about 40 prospective investors from various sectors in attendance.
The governor, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Babagana Mallumbe, said his administration is transitioning the state from humanitarian relief to sustainable economic recovery through private sector investment, job creation and livelihood restoration.
The roundtable, with the theme “Mobilising Private Capital for Durable Solutions and Sustainable Development,” was supported by the German development agency, GIZ, the European Union and the German government.
The meeting came three weeks after a similar engagement in Lagos, where Borno State secured nine investment commitments.
‘Borno Is Safe, Stable And Open For Business’
Addressing participants, Zulum described Borno State’s strategic location within the Lake Chad Basin as a major economic advantage, noting that the state serves as a trade corridor linking Nigeria with Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic.
“Presently, Borno is safe, stable and open for business,” the governor said, attributing the improved security situation to the efforts of the armed forces, other security agencies and volunteer forces.
He said the state’s vast arable land, livestock resources and solid mineral deposits offered significant opportunities for investors, particularly in sectors capable of stimulating economic growth and creating employment.
According to him, while government is responsible for providing an enabling environment, the private sector remains critical to wealth creation, job generation and sustainable prosperity.
The governor also highlighted his administration’s investment in human capital development under the state’s 25-year development plan, disclosing that vocational training centres had produced more than 3,000 graduates.
He added that the government was strengthening skills development, including training in the health sector, to equip residents with the expertise required to participate in the emerging economy.
Read also:
- NNPCL Pledges To Resume Oil Exploration In Borno As Zulum Demands Completion Of Emergency Power Plant
- Zulum Seeks African Union Support to Return 800,000 Out-of-School Children to Classrooms in Borno
- Zulum Pledges Support for Medical College at Nigerian Army University, Biu
Incentives For Investors
Zulum assured investors of his administration’s commitment to honouring agreements and promoting transparent public-private partnerships, particularly in housing, agriculture and other productive sectors.
“We are not here to ask for charity. We are here to present bankable, high-yield and direct investment opportunities for you. Borno is ready. Borno is bankable. We invite you to partner with a government that honours its word,” he said.
He identified incentives available to investors to include streamlined land acquisition processes, infrastructure support, industrial clusters and a supportive tax framework.
Earlier, the Chief Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development, Partnerships and Humanitarian Response, Mairo Mandara, described Borno State as a gateway to a regional economic market with more than 50 million people.
Mandara said the state had moved beyond the emergency phase and was now focused on translating recovery efforts into sustainable economic development.
“Borno has moved from emergency to recovery. The task now is to convert recovery into an economy,” she said.
Participants at the roundtable were also scheduled to receive presentations on investment opportunities in the state’s industrial park, inland dry port and bonded terminal, as well as its ease-of-doing-business framework.
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