NIPC assures SEC of conducive business climate to attract investors
Adesola Afolabi was a businessamlive reporter and Head of Financial desk.
In a bid to scale up the level of investors and investment portfolio in the Nigerian economy the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) has assured the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of its commitment to ensuring that the nation has the required business climate to attract both foreign investors and Nigerians in the diaspora.
Yewande Sidiku, executive secretary of the NIPC gave this assurance weekend, during a meeting with Mary Uduk, the acting director general of the SEC in Abuja.
Sidiku explained that the NIPC as part of the drive to improve investments in the country, the Commission is visiting different states to explore investment opportunities and also looking at some investments that were started by states but are now moribund and find ways to revitalize them.
She said the “There are many investment opportunities in the states and what we have done now is to design a platform for profiling such investment opportunities. Part of the strategy is to enlighten the state officials as it is important that the states are ready for the investors”
She said the mandate of the Commission is to encourage investors to come and that is why incentives are being put in place to make it easier for them to come.
“The work that we do is connected to the work of the SEC, we encourage investors to come while the SEC is here to protect the investors and that is why we need to collaborate. We are happy to work with the SEC to further grow our economy.
Mary Uduk, acting director general of the SEC, also restated the SEC’s commitment to partner with relevant government agencies and the private sector to attract more investments to the country.
She said it is to further boost the economy, that the SEC is poised to revitalize the commodities exchange market among other initiatives.
“There are opportunities in the Commodities market and we need to scale up participation in that regard to attract investors. We will require the collaboration of the NIPC in that regard as the direct investors you are seeking to attract.”
According to Uduk, various opportunities abound in the capital market for both individuals and government and that is why the SEC welcomes the avenues being explored to attract states to come to the market and raise funds for infrastructural projects.
“We are happy to partner with you to make the market and the country richer and better” Uduk said.