Lagos holds first ever Badagry Economic Summit

By Idris Olukoya

Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State will lead other notable Nigerians and international personalities to the first-ever Badagry Economic Summit slated for March 23 and 24.

Dr. Temidayo Hephzibah, the Director of the Badagry Convention and Visitors Agency (BCVA), the organizer of the event, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos that the two-day event will hold at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) Conference hall, Topo, Badagry.

The theme of the summit is “Unleashing Investment Opportunities around Historic and Coastal Zones of Epe and Badagry”.

“The summit is to open to the world the investment opportunities that abound in Badagry and speakers will deliberate on how best investors can explore them,’’ he said.

Ambode, whose administration had been showing keen interest in the development of the state, would lead a powerful team from the state to the summit.

Hephzibah said that some of the guests that would deliver papers at the summit would include a former Commissioner for Tourism in Lagos State, Sen. Tokunboh Afikuyomi; the Group Managing Director of OBED Group, Mr Chris Illoh; and a former Chairman of the Council for Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Hakeem Olanrewaju.

Also, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Whispering Palms, Professor Femi Pearse; David Skor of APM Terminals; and a former Head of Service in Lagos State, Sunny Ajose, would address the investors.

Others expected to speak are: the Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Ashade Akinyemi and the Founder and President of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye .

Hephzibah said that the agency’s major mandate is to market Badagry as a tourist destination to both local and foreign investors.

He said that this was why the agency decided to assemble relevant stakeholders, investors and major players in the economy, both from the public and private sectors for the summit.

“The main objective of the summit is to provide direction into the reality of making Badagry an international market hub for investment and leisure activities.

“The summit will also bring together regional and international industry experts including investors to discuss investments opportunities around Badagry and other coastal neighbourhood of Lagos State such as the Epe axis.’’

Also, the Managing Director of the agency, Mr. Sewanu Fadipe, said that top tourism investors would attend the summit to learn more about investment opportunities in Badagry.

Fadipe said that the summit would showcase the abundant investment opportunities in Badagry so as to lure investors and tourists to the area.

“There is no doubt that investment opportunities abound in Badagry that will attract investors’ interest.

“The community is blessed with rich historical and cultural heritage, crude oil, serene beaches, coconut plantation, seaport and massive land for development,’’ he said.(NAN)