The President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has called on the federal and state governments to create an enabling environment for local investors to thrive, saying they have what it takes to create more job opportunities and harness the abundant resources available in the country.
Speaking at the Taraba International Investment Summit in Jalingo, on Wednesday, the business mogul said local investors are capable of providing a good source of revenue for the federal government, as his companies are currently doing now.
He said the investment summit organised by Taraba State government was timely and it will promote government and private sector partnerships, which is the best way to ensure sustainable economic growth of the state.
Dangote, explained that Taraba State has abundant agricultural potentials and solid minerals resources as well as tourism potentials and the summit will show case these potentials to local and foreign investors.
He said foreign direct investment is good, “But foreign investors will only come when they see that local investors are thriving. The government must encourage domestic investments first.”
He promised to continue to invest in Nigeria and mobilise other businesses to invest in Nigeria because when local investors perform, they will encourage foreign investors to join them without invitation.
We want to remain here and continue to invest in Nigeria to impact the lives of others, as we keep creating jobs and more jobs. When the local investors are doing well, the foreign ones will come without anybody inviting them. When you have a good restaurant, you will not need to invite people to come and eat. You will hear them talking about such restaurants. Start with the local investors, and this state shall become the shining star,” Dangote said.
Food security, regional inclusion key to Nigeria’s stability – Tinubu
Also speaking at the summit, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, listed food security and regional economic inclusion as the first currency of Nigeria’s path to long-term stability.
The president also disclosed plans by his Renewed Hope administration to transform Taraba State into an important centre for agricultural productivity, energy generation, and mineral resource development.
The Nigerian leader described the state as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s agricultural and industrial future, as its agricultural potential is a manifestation of the nation’s shared prosperity.
President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s economy from the ground up by leveraging local resources and decentralising development.
“Food sufficiency is the first currency of national stability. This is why we have prioritised agriculture as the anchor of our national strategy,” he said.
The president praised Taraba’s vast agricultural assets, calling for a shift from subsistence farming to industrial-scale food production.
“Our farmers must transition from the use of hoes and cutlasses to tractors and harvesters,” he said, stressing that modern tools are vital for increasing productivity and feeding Nigeria’s growing population.
Noting that Taraba is not just a state with potential, but also a strategic player in the national economy, President Tinubu described the state as a major player in producing export-grade tea, coffee, and livestock for the meat industry.
“Taraba’s role in this vision is central. From the export-grade tea and coffee grown on its hills to the livestock raised here that feed the nation’s meat industry, this state is an agricultural powerhouse that must be fully harnessed.
“The Kashimbila Dam, Nigeria’s largest hydroelectric dam, is not merely a monument of engineering. It is a symbol of what is possible when we dream and deliver,” he stated.
The Nigerian leader warned, however, that Nigeria’s development goals would not be met by merely exporting raw commodities: “We cannot live on raw produce and unprocessed minerals. What we need are factories to add value, clusters to drive innovation, and industrial parks to convert ideas into impact.”
He stressed that every region of Nigeria has a role to play in national prosperity, saying each part of Nigeria is a gift to the other, just as he said each region “Complements the other so profoundly that the deficiency of one region is often redeemed by the sufficiency of the other.
He commended Governor Agbu Kefas for his visionary leadership, which he has demonstrated by convening the summit.
“There’s no doubt that you have chosen to reshape the destiny of your people. This is a defining moment for Taraba. We are determined to ensure that investment does not remain a tale of Lagos and Abuja alone. We are expanding the map of economic inclusion to include Jalingo, Gembu, Takum, Wukari, Bali, and every enterprising corner of Taraba,” President Tinubu told the governor.