Invest in our energy, solid minerals, Tinubu tells German businessmen

German investors yesterday got an assurance from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Federal Government’s readiness to expand investment opportunities in the energy and solid minerals sectors.

He gave the assurance when he received the German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, at the State House in Abuja.

Tinubu said his administration is committed to removing administrative bottlenecks and creating an enabling environment for investors.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President said: “I welcome Mr President to Nigeria and the State House. Your visit is a significant milestone. And I must thank you for the warm reception when I visited Germany.

“We need each other, and you emphasized this in our private discussion. Nigeria is going through a transformative period and trying to align with the best strategy and practices on good governance globally.

“We like our relationship with you as friends and partners. Germany is well-industrialized and renowned for its sustainable infrastructure.

“I am saying again that Nigeria is ready and open for business. As you mentioned, you are ready to support Nigeria in the energy sector, which you have long been doing. Also, in alternative energy, we have the sun, and you have the technology. We should continue our partnership in every way that we can.”

President Tinubu said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Solid Minerals, Ministry of Power and Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment have been directed to work closely with investors to develop the energy sector.

“I will re-emphasise again and again we must enhance the possibility of becoming highly industrialised by exploring opportunities in our natural resources,’’ he added.

President Tinubu said the country’s reforms had been designed to bring long-term prosperity through sustainable and dependable frameworks.

“We are synchronising to ensure a grounded and flourishing partnership that brings prosperity to our people. We know that Germany has the capacity and is involved in regional cooperation and collaboration.

“We are glad that we are trading in Euro with you. We are more transformative than before. We have made changes in the way we do business. It is now easy in and easy out for investors. We are projecting investment in gas and alternative energy.

“Our transformation involves natural gas. We are leveraging solid minerals, particularly lithium. We have a dynamic, anxious-to-learn and flexible youth population.

We have many Nigerian students who were trained in Germany. We want domestic investment that will promote growth in our economy. Equally, we need skill development,’’ the President said.

President Tinubu noted that Small and Medium Enterprises were also being repositioned to play a more central role in development, assuring that bottlenecks to investments had been removed.

In his remarks, the German President assured President Tinubu that there were also more specialised companies in Germany that would be encouraged to look towards Nigeria for expansion opportunities beyond the big brands in the energy sectors.

“There is a growing interest in Nigeria on the German side beyond those who are already here, like Siemens. Other companies are looking for investment opportunities, especially in renewable energy,’’ he stated.

In his presentation, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, noted that Germany has a dedicated one billion Euro fund for diversifying the supply chain in renewable energy, and modifying the conditions could easily accommodate the opportunities in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.

Alake said the critical minerals for energy transition, cobalt, nickel and lithium, were readily available in Nigeria.

“We are asking that German companies can come in under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President that has sanitised the environment, enhanced security with a new architecture around solid minerals, created tax incentives and waivers for important equipment and provided opportunities for joint ventures,’’ he said.

Alake said pre-feasibility studies had been concluded, urging German investors to look to Nigeria for diversification of the energy supply chain

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; and Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, also presented at the business meeting.

The business delegation from Germany and their Nigerian counterparts hailed President Tinubu for his long-term vision for the economy and his courageous steps in repositioning Nigeria for greater prosperity by making the economy more globally competitive with streamlined foreign exchange and improved ease of doing business.