Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, has urged the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to attract Japanese investors to Nigeria.
Bagudu spoke during a courtesy call on him by the new Chief Representative of JICA in Nigeria, Mr. Ishigame Keiji, who replaces Mr. Yuzurio Susumu, who served as the Chief Representative of JICA in Nigeria for three years and six months. According to the minister, “We desire investors to come into Nigeria as we are eager to have your support in growing the private sector. “We have stabilised the macro economy.
We have the foundation that can support more private sector activity that can boost trade and production”. The new Chief Representative, Keiji, observed that Nigeria is a key country with a vibrant economy and significant potential. He informed the minister that plans are underway to expand activities in Nigeria and Japan, as the government is willing to support Nigeria in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The outgoing representative, Susumu, expressed pleasure in working with the Nigerian government and promised to facilitate and expand the projects in Nigeria as he returns to headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. Earlier, the Acting Permanent Secretary, Dr. Sampson Ebimaro, stated that JICA/Japan has a long-standing relationship with Nigeria and appreciated Japan’s support for education, health, infrastructure, peacebuilding, and power development.
JICA has supported projects in Nigeria aimed at enhancing the quality of life and promoting economic growth. Recent efforts include a partnership to develop an innovation hub and a $238 million power project for infrastructure improvements and training programmes. Previous initiatives involved work in basic education, health (malaria control), and the development of the agricultural sector.
Leave a Reply