7th October, 2015
Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Alan Yarrow has assured the government of Lagos State of the readiness of large number businesses in the United Kingdom to invest in the economy of the state.
He noted that Lagos, as the commercial capital of Nigeria with its huge population and secured environment, is a desired destination for business.
Yarrow stated this while leading a trade delegation to pay a courtesy call on the Governor of the State, Akinwunmi Ambode, in Alausa, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, on Wednesday.
He added that in view of the strategic importance of Lagos to the Nigerian and African economy, the UK business group is coming to the state to identify with the new administration and explore different areas of business collaboration and investment opportunities available.
The Lord Mayor, while soliciting the support of the state government in areas of appropriate policies and enabling laws to protect their investment noted that investors are willing to collaborate in the areas of maritime, alternative and renewable energy as well as infrastructural development in the area of health and education.
While responding on behalf of the governor, the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Idiat Adebule assured the UK team of the state government’s readiness to welcome business partnership and collaboration from United Kingdom, assuring that the government will continually provide enabling environment for local and foreign investors to flourish.
The Deputy Governor said as part of the government’s resolve to welcome business collaboration from abroad, the governor has established a ministry in charge of Overseas Affairs, which she said will be a one-stop shop for the needs of investors and provide all necessary logistics support for investors to do business in the state.
“To demonstrate our readiness for you, we have established the ministry of overseas affairs and investment, renamed Lagos Global, where all the needs of investors coming into the state will be attended to from issues of registration, land matters and other support services required,” Adebule added.
She assured the investors that all government policies and laws on business and investment will be strengthened with a view to protecting the investors and ensure adequate return on their investment, while also assuring that the security of lives and properties of Lagosians and visitors to Lagos remain a top priority of the Ambode administration.
The trade delegation is expected to embark of tour of various on-going projects in the state with a view to identifying areas of investment and business partnership with the government.