By Moses Ebosele, ebosele@hotmail.com –
The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello was a special guest at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Thursday.
Bello was received by the Chief Executive Officer of NSE, Oscar Onyema and other top management staff.
The NSC boss was part of the closing Gong Ceremony and had a brief chat on market development with some management team present during his visit.
Meanwhile, the Secretary, Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Dr Jumoke Oduwole has said that investors are beginning to show renewed interest in Nigeria’s economy.
Speaking on Thursday at an International Investment Conference organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Oduwole said: “Stock market rallied at 36 per cent since the beginning of the year”.
Oduwole, who also serves as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment added: “From January to August, about 22 billion dollars of investment has been announced in 41 projects across 22 states in Nigeria.
“Capital inflow into the country has almost doubled to 1.8 billion dollars in the second quarter compared to the figure in the first quarter.
“The Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) identified the ease of doing business as a critical factor for driving industrialisation and investment,” she said.
Oduwole noted that as the government continued to implement the ERGP and improve the business environment, the investment climate of the economy would be impacted positively.
According to her, various reforms and policies initiated by the government spurred the improvement of Nigeria’s ranking from 169 to 145 on the recently released World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report.
She said that government would continue to pursue reforms aimed at stimulating the economic growth and boost the inflow of investment into the country.
Earlier, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, said that the Federal Government was passionate about rapid and sustainable development of the industrial sector.
He said that the government was committed to resuscitating the ailing industries, evolving various reforms and incentives that would deepen industrialisation of the economy.
The minister was represented by Mr Olajide Bamidele, the Assistant Director, Investment Promotion Department in the ministry.
Also in her remark, Mrs Eme Essien, the Country Manager, International Finance Corporation (IFC), urged Nigeria not to rest on its oars based on its improved ranking on the Ease of Doing Business Report.
Essien urged the government to encourage collaboration and set targets that would assist it to achieve sustainable development.
President of LCCI, Mrs Nike Akande, also used the opportunity to commend the improvement in Nigeria’s ranking by the World Bank.
