President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met with groups of investors at the sidelines of the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Addressing the investers, Buhari said: ” Come to Nigeria and prosper. Come and have handsome returns on your investments, within the shortest possible time.”
Earlier, the president held a bilateral meeting with Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum who is a member of the Dubai ruling family, a private investor and member of several boards of companies, both state owned and private.
Al Maktoum, is interested in establishing a power plant in Lagos, and studies have already been completed.
Buhari also met with the Lulu Group which operates a chain of supermarkets in the Middle East and Asia.
Chairman of the group, Mr Yusuff Alli, told President Buhari that the outfit, with headquarters in Abu Dhabi, has over 164 supermarkets and shopping malls and employs over 50,000 people.
He said his group was interested in working with Nigerian farmers, using local produce to ensure food security.
Also in bilateral meeting with President Buhari was Sheikh Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of Amea Power. The company develops, owns, and operates thermal and renewable energy projects in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Its wide range of power solutions include conventional – gas, coal, oil, and renewable – solar, wind and hydro. Apart from power, the company, which owns Rotana Hotel chain, is also interested in the hospitality sector in Nigeria.
A bilateral meeting was held with Sheikh Ali Rashid Lootah, Chairman, Nakheel Properties and Limitless Group one of the world’s leading developers and a major contributor to Dubai’s real estate transformation, the company’s current and future retail project portfolio covers nearly 17 million square feet of leasable space. They are keen to expand their investments in Nigeria.
Another investor, Sheikh Khalid Bin Kalban, the CEO of Dubai Investments met with President Buhari with discussion centred on real estate, processing industries, mergers and acquisitions, health care, education, and financial investments.
In a similar development, President Buhari met with the CEO of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), Sheikh Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi. ADFD has supported over 66 projects in 29 African countries. The president’s discussion with him was focused on rural solar power and water projects.
The president also met with Mr Jitender Sachdeva, CEO Skipperseil Group. An integrated energy company with operations in the manufacturing of substation equipment, discussions were on engineering processing, construction of transmission lines and substations for utilities, institutions and industries.
The company’s CEO expressed delight at meeting with President Buhari, and looked forward to doing good business in Nigeria.
Source: Daily Trust
