Nasarawa Govt Attracts $500 Million U.S Dollars Despite COVID-19-M.D NASIDA

The Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nasarawa Investment And Development Agency (NASIDA) Ibrahim Abdullahi has disclosed that despite the coronavirus pandemic, Nasarawa State was able to woo investors with an investment worth $500m U.S dollars.

The Managing Director gave the hint during a press conference on Thursday, during a question and answer session, he said some of the key achievements of NASIDA include the ranking of the state amongst the top three investment destinations in Nigeria by the NIPC in the first and second quarter of 2021.

He, however, opined that the leadership of Engineer Abdullahi Sule due to the serene atmosphere and ease of doing business attracted investments of an estimated $500 Million Dollars within the last two years which include Azman, Olam, Dangote, etc.).

Other breakthroughs, according to the M.D was the setting up of a Nasarawa Infrastructure Fund, which attracts 5% of the monthly Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State, and for improving the Infrastructure stock in the state. The optimization of a range of State Assets; Concession of the Karu Waste Recycling and Waste to Energy Project (2020) come into being.

Ibrahim Abdullahi revealed that there was the signing of a  concession of the Karu and Lafia Bus Terminals, Joint Venture Development have commenced for  Karu Retail and Recreational Mall (2021), set up of a shopping mall with Shoprite as the Anchor Tenant in the Muhammadu Buhari International Market, Cassava Processing Park (2020): The set-up of a cassava processing plant, to deliver multiple cassava derivatives

Meter Manufacturing Plant: set-up of a meter manufacturing capability in Lafia, Nasarawa Agricultural Commodity Company (formerly Nasarawa Commodity Board  Project) (2021): The set-up of an Agriculture value chain development for Rice, Sesame, Soya, and Ginger, Nasarawa Technology Village; Development of life, Work, Play innovative housing and ICT Hub.

In the area of transportation, the M.D said the Nasarawa Transport Company will be run under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP)  The project involves the setup of a Nasarawa Transport Company, to ease transportation in the State.

“The core commitment of Governor Abdullahi Sule was to promote and commercialize the state properties”.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ibrahim Abdullahi revealed that the state government has also signed an agreement with investors to Peninsula joint venture for sustainable clusters, while in the health sector, the M D said the PPP is working relentlessly in the tertiary health facility, the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH).

Other investments include Karu Recreational Centre, Flour Mills of Nigeria given 20,000 hectares of land, appreciating governor Abdullahi Sule for his resilience and foresight to create an enabling environment for business to thrive.

He appealed to the people of the state to exercise patience, adding that it takes time for an investment to crystalize.