By Adesina Wahab

THE Group Managing Director, Abuja Investment Company Limited, AICL, Ambassador Maureen Tamuno, has described as erroneous, the perception that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is solely for public service administration.

Speaking on Monday during a courtesy visit of the Consulate General of Nigeria to New York, Ambassador Abubakar Jidda, to her office, the GMD emphasized that Abuja has capacity for investments, as she beckoned on interested investors from across the world.

According to him, Abuja Investment Company Limited is a profit-making company efficiently positioned to do business for the government.

“If we buy a bottle of water, we want to know how to sell it to make profit. We are not on appropriation; we roll over our monies through public-private partnerships. So, we are business people.

“What we do is make profit, pay dividend to our owner, which is the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), and then, we move on. So, we are very focused, and we have been on for 30 years. And when you invest through us or through our partners, you can be sure of your investment.”

In a video clip presented to her guest, the GMD highlighted various steps taken by the FCT government to secure the environment for both residential and business purposes.

Earlier, Amb. Jidda, whose mission was to discuss areas of possible collaborations in bringing investments to FCT, expressed delight with the efforts at repositioning the city, not only as the seat of power but also a business hub.

Noting that Nigerian population would be hitting 400 million by the year, 2050, out of which 70 per cent would be under 30 years, he said he has led a delegation comprising some U.S-based Chinese investors, who had approach the Consulate with the intent to do business with Nigeria.

The Consulate General however believed that Nigeria has the manpower that must be engaged fully and that with glaring evidence of development in FCT, it is a one-stop shop for investment in various sectors.  

He also informed his host of a series of invitation proposals he has received from across the states in the United States of America under his purview, for investment collaborations in various sectors of the economy including, agriculture and mining, and according to him, the partnership has led to signing of some contracts with certain agencies in the country.

Decrying the unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks encountered by potential investors in some federal agencies, which has discouraged many of them, the Consulate General believed that with a serious organization such as Abuja Investment Company, he could boast of Abuja as an investment destination.

“But I think this is an entire package for us, whereby any area that we feel we can get an investor, you have it – mining, agriculture and health care. If we can work with your office, I would be satisfied”, he said.

He also requested for a copy of presentation by the company, showcasing business opportunities in FCT and the effort of the Minister to make the environment conducive for investors.

“So, we are very much happy with this presentation and we hope that copies would be given to us to play in our waiting rooms for them to see the investment opportunities in Nigeria.”

To cement the business relationship, he appealed to the GMD to visit New York for a high-profile meeting with potential investors so that they can hear directly from her, what FCT has to offer.

Responding, the GMD described the visit as timely, noting that upon assuming office, she had met with ambassadors from 42 countries serving in Nigeria, who were briefed about investment opportunities in FCT. 

Having served as an envoy, she admitted the problem of bottlenecks even as she refuted the insinuation that everything about business in Nigeria has to do with few states, especially Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt.

She noted that investing legitimately in Abuja is guaranteed and profitable. “It outlives your generation to the next generation because of the base of where it is, which is part of the fears that people in diaspora have.”  

The GMD disclosed that part of their activities is engagement with key stakeholders who attended the first investment submitted organized last year, on how to advance and translate words to actions.

She further acknowledged invitation from Amb. Jidda to New York for meetings with intended investors, noting that AIC is opened to such engagements.

“We are also very happy to deal with your colleague from Frankfurt working in the area of health.”

Also speaking, the Consulate General of Nigeria to Frankfurt, Germany, Ambassador Yakubu A. Dadu, who arrived Nigeria last weekend, said he was excited about the meeting with the GMD and her team.

He also informed about potential investors in Germany, who were either skeptical about the environment or the fact that they might not get desired attention considering that Nigeria is dealing with world largest economic countries.

“But the few of them that I had meetings with in the last quarter of last year were very promising but the challenge they had was that they don’t know so much about investment opportunities in Nigeria”, he said.

Ambassador further disclosed that a group – Nigerian Medical Association in Germany, with membership numbering about 3,000, was also willing to invest in the country by way of offering outreach services to Nigeria in the health care sector.

“If they can offer the medical services within Abuja, I think we would be satisfied because they have expressed their frustration with the many state governments and even some sectors in the federal government.”

According to him, another diaspora group has concluded plans to come and commission a German language centre in Abuja in May.