In a press release issued by the State House, President Bola Tinubu applauded Indian investors for their substantial commitments of nearly $14 billion U.S. dollars during the Nigeria-India Presidential Roundtable and Conference held in New Delhi.
He emphasized Nigeria’s attractiveness for investment, stating, “we are ready to provide you with the best returns on investment available; there’s no place like our country. Nigeria offers the best investment returns today, so seize the opportunity.”
Among these substantial investments, Indorama Petrochemical Limited pledged $8 billion U.S. dollars for the expansion of its fertilizer production and petrochemical facility in Eleme, Rivers State.
Jindal Steel and Power Limited, a major private steel producer in India, committed to investing $3 billion in Nigeria following discussions with President Tinubu during the G-20 Summit in New Delhi.
Mr. Jitender Sachdeva, the Founding President of SkipperSeil Limited, announced a $1.6 billion U.S. dollar investment in the establishment of twenty 100MW power generation plants across Northern Nigeria, with the goal of adding 2,000MW of new power within the next four years.
Additionally, President Tinubu approved the finalization of a new $1 billion U.S. dollar agreement to enhance the Defense Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and achieve 40% self-sufficiency in local defense equipment manufacturing by 2027 through a comprehensive partnership with the Managing Arm of the Military-Industrial Complex of the Indian Government.
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Furthermore, Bharti Enterprises, a significant first-generation corporation in India with diverse interests, including telecom, space communications, digital solutions, insurance, processed foods, real estate, and hospitality, expressed its commitment to investing an additional $700 million in Nigeria, with immediate commencement of work.
President Tinubu emphasized that under his pragmatic leadership, agreements should translate into tangible industries and job creation in Nigeria. He expressed gratitude to all Indian companies and individuals who responded positively to his administration’s efforts to enhance Nigeria’s macroeconomic and investment environment.
The President encouraged prospective investors not to delay and assured them that Nigeria presents significant trade and investment opportunities. He emphasized his team’s problem-solving capabilities.
President Tinubu highlighted that Nigeria requires investors to adhere to established economic policies and work alongside competent leaders to achieve broad-based prosperity through investment and infrastructure development.
Reiterating Nigeria’s openness to business, the President affirmed his commitment to leading the nation toward investment, development, and prosperity.
President Tinubu also expressed pride in the Nigerian stock market’s record-breaking performance since he assumed office.
During the roundtable discussion themed “Building Partnerships with Renewed Hope for a Diversified and Prosperous Economy,” Mr. Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, expressed gratitude to Mr. Naveen Jindau, Chairman of Jindal Steel and Power Limited, for their substantial new investment of $3 billion in iron ore processing and steel development in Nigeria.
The Finance Minister also commended the Tata group and other responsive investors who embraced President Tinubu’s efforts to address systemic issues in Nigeria’s macroeconomic and investment climate. Mr. Edun specifically mentioned Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, for committing to invest at least an additional $700 million in Nigeria during the initial phase.
Minister Edun seized the opportunity to elucidate the fundamental principles of President Tinubu’s eight-point strategy. He underscored its objectives, including fostering economic growth, job creation, poverty reduction, food security, improved access to capital, inclusivity, business and citizen security, and adherence to the rule of law and anti-corruption measures.
Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal, speaking on behalf of investors, acknowledged President Tinubu’s initiatives, such as unifying the foreign exchange market and releasing capital to upgrade public infrastructure. He praised the President’s genuine commitment to attracting capital to Nigeria, assuring that investments would be brought to the country, propelled by his inspiring leadership.
At the same event, Dr. Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, alongside his Indian counterpart from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate in sharing successful digital solutions, intending to implement these solutions at a national scale for digital transformation.
Additionally, another MoU was signed with the Central Square Foundation, focusing on sharing successful ecosystems, especially in the field of education technology, to be implemented at a population scale to facilitate digital economic transformation.
Under the supervision of Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, a third MoU was executed between the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria Limited (InfraCorp) and Invest India, the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of India. This agreement aims to assist investors in finding opportunities and options in India.
Closing the interactive session, Mr. Chandrajit Banerjee, the Director-General of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), emphasized that the Presidential Roundtable serves as a strong foundation for Indian businesses seeking to engage with Nigeria. He highlighted potential cooperation areas, including capacity building, skills development, agriculture, and enhancements in digital and physical infrastructure.
Mr. Banerjee expressed CII’s readiness, under President Tinubu’s resolute leadership, to send a high-level delegation to Nigeria. Additionally, they expressed a keen interest in establishing a second presence in Africa, with Nigeria as their target destination.
The Presidential roundtable, graced by President Tinubu, also saw the attendance of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, and Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment. Industry leaders from both India and Nigeria also participated in the event.
Following the Roundtable, President Tinubu engaged individually with the top pledging investors to finalize plans that ensure their success in Nigeria while mitigating environmental challenges.