New Delhi – President Bola Tinubu’s arrival in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday, was met with a gracious reception by Mr. Prakash Hinduja, the Chairman and CEO of the Hinduja Group of Companies, a conglomerate well-known for its extensive asset portfolio, exceeding a remarkable $100 billion U.S. Dollars.
The visit kicked off swiftly as President Tinubu welcomed Mr. Hinduja within a mere 90 minutes of his arrival in India. Their meeting, commencing around 8:00pm local time, was joined by Nigeria’s Ministers of Finance, Trade & Industry, and Foreign Affairs.
During this meeting, President Tinubu firmly articulated his objectives: drawing investments into Nigeria, offering lucrative prospects for investors, and, of greater significance, generating employment for Nigerians while creating fresh revenue avenues for Nigeria’s federal and regional governments.
“We are here for business. I am here to personally assure our friends and investors that there is no bottleneck that I will not break. Nigeria will become one of the most conducive places on earth to make good profits and create lasting jobs. With my support, there is nothing standing in your way of enjoying the unrivaled opportunities presented by our massive market and the ingenious, and hardworking nature of the Nigerian people. We are open for business,” affirmed President Tinubu.
The information was conveyed through a statement issued by Ajuri Ngelale, who serves as the Special Adviser to the President for Media and Publicity.
Chairman Hinduja recognized President Tinubu’s impressive accomplishments during his tenure as Governor of Lagos, notably his conversion of a coastal erosion crisis into a thriving free trade zone. He noted that this transformation greatly fueled his eagerness to partner with Nigeria’s new President, envisioning mutual prosperity for Nigerians.
“We believe in you as a leader who has done this before. You know what the challenges are. You know how to fix them. We are going to make investments into the billions of dollars under your leadership, because we see you are already addressing the systemic problems. I am ready now to sign an MoU and to begin execution. You tell me who to liase with, and we will get to work immediately, particularly with respect to bus and automobile manufacturing in Nigeria, amongst other areas,” stated Mr. Hinduja.
President Tinubu wasted no time in responding, assigning the task of finalizing the agreement to the Ministers of Trade and Finance, along with Hinduja Group Executives, who were present at the meeting. He emphasized his readiness to address any issues requiring his intervention promptly.
Expressing his excitement, the industrialist mentioned past bureaucratic hurdles in Nigeria but expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s determination to turn Nigeria’s potential into reality for its citizens.
“I have had paperwork stalled in Nigerian bureaucracy for over one year, especially in FCT, but I knew that you would be purpose driven in this endeavour and God will help you to turn Nigeria’s rich promise into rich reality for all of its citizens,” he said.
The President underscored the importance of teamwork in achieving his vision for Nigeria’s greatness. He emphasized that a happy investor base would lead to nationwide rejoicing in an inclusive economy where hard work is rewarded and excellence becomes the nation’s hallmark.