Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, has expressed his administration’s commitment to work with an international think-tank group and investment promoter, Horasis Global Visions Community, to find solutions to challenges facing the country.
According to the president’s media spokesperson, Garba Shehu, Buhari disclosed this at a virtual meeting with members of the group led by its founder and chairman, Dr Frank-Jürgen Richter, cross-sectional representatives of State Governors and corporate organizations in Nigeria
Key members of the president’s cabinet who attended the virtual meeting include the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffery Onyeama.
Other prominent persons include the Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Dr Kayode Fayemi; Global Chairman of Horasis, Dr Frank-Jürgen Richter; Global Business Speaker and Convener, Horasis Africa Business Summit, Dr Noel Akpata; Horasis-in-Nigeria Chairman, Dr Shamsudeen Usman; and the Chairman of MAN, Engineer Ahmed Mansur.
There were also members of the corporate sector in attendance, including the MD/CEO of Heritage Bank, Mr Ifie Sekibo, Chairman, Shoreline Group, Mr Kola Karim; Chairman, Lafarge Group, Mr Ade Adefioye; Managing Partner, Zenera Consulting, Mr Meka Olowola; MD, Rennaissance Capital, Mr Temitope Popoola; and MD, Daily Times, Mr Aliu Akoshile.
Remarking on the emerging partnership, Buhari said, “I am excited about the work that Horasis has been engaged in since it was founded in 2005.
“As a platform for frank discussions and generation of multidisciplinary ideas for the resolution of multi-faceted challenges facing mankind, the work of governments and corporate organisations are expected to be impacted more positively.”
The president also accepted the request of the global think tank to create its African hub in Nigeria.
He commended their vision for an expanded manufacturing through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to make the country a major beneficiary of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (ACTFA) coming into effect next year.
”It is my hope that many corporate organizations in Nigeria will be drawn into the mainstream discussion around several challenges facing Nigeria and indeed the rest of Africa,” he said.
Buhari expressed the commitment of the government of Nigeria to the proposed annual Africa Summits of the organization, with Nigeria hosting, in the strong belief that Nigeria would fully benefit from the meetings.
The Chairman of the group, Frank-Jürgen Richter, commended Nigeria’s economic growth in the last few years and gave strong assurances that the Africa Summits with Nigeria as the hub would bring the benefits of increased FDI.
Other speakers at the meeting expressed excitement about the good prospects of increased manufacturing through FDI to give a competitive advantage to Nigeria in view of the ACFTA.
