From: Kemi Yesufu, Abuja
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has called on interested Italian investors to take advantage of the ongoing reforms by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to invest in Nigeria.
According to a statement issued by Dogara’s Special Adviser on Media, Turaki Hassan, the Speaker made the call in Rome, Italy when he met with leaders of Nigerian community in Italy along with some Italian businessmen at a meeting organised by the Nigerian ambassador to Italy, Yusuf Jonga Hinna.
Dogara told the Italian business community and friends of Nigeria that the National Assembly has passed a number of laws seeking to promote ease of doing business in the country in addition to other measures taken by the president.
“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 conductive and you have a partner in us as the legislature you can reach out to us for interventions in areas you find difficulties”, the Speaker said.
He further disclosed that the government had also constituted a presidential committee on ease of doing business for which he is also a member; even though he is in the legislature.
On the security front, the Speaker assured the Italian business community that a lot of progress has been achieved in dislodging the terrorist 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,” he added.