(L-R) Kabir Ahmed, executive director, Spring Bank Plc in a handshake with Peter Obi, governor of Anambra State during a courtesy visit to the governor recently.

DESPITE the lingering political tension arising from the long absence of President Umaru Yar’Adua, the Nigerian economy has been experiencing a growing flow in investment enquiries from across the major industrialised economies since the past one month. BusinessWorld investigations reveal that there are indications that the trend will be upbeat in the next few months as links to more enquiries emerged over the weekend.
Delegates of about nine companies from the Netherlands are already in the country to hold talks with operators in the economy with the view to investing in the economy.
The investors who are in the country with the support of the Nigerian-Netherlands Chamber of Commerce; the Nigerian Embassy in Netherlands, Netherlands Embassy in Nigeria and the Netherlands African Business Council will make presentations to various business groups during the week.
The nine companies being represented include Afrimission, Eco Fish, AM International Search, Duyvis Weiner, Fast Forward Freight, Gea Grasso International, ISPS, Intercommerce, Interfood, Mush Comb, Prime Food Products and PTC. The companies which are mainly into agro and heavy industries are believed to have been making contacts with several Nigerian investors for possible partnership in the key areas. Some of them specialise in machine building and instrumentation, using the dependable European technology.
BusinessWorld Intelligence can further reveal that about 180 Turkish companies will be in Nigeria on Monday (22,02/10) for a week’s investment tour of the country. Sources close to the Nigerian Investments Promotion Council (NIPC) indicate that the visitors will have access to the various key areas of the economy with the intention of having a bigger picture of the entire economic landscape.
Few weeks ago, a Swiss delegation of about seven companies was in Lagos and Abuja on investment tour. They also visited Ogun State. The deputy head of mission of Swiss Embassy in Nigeria and Niger, Mr Tamara Mona was with the team throughout the entire presentation led by Johann Schaer, president of Nigerian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce.
Industry watchers say the influx has been surprising considering the current domestic rating of the Nigerian economy which may have been in its lowest ebb since the past five years. Even as Nigerians remain unsure of the driving spirit for the investment visits, many stakeholders and core operators in the economy believe that the potentials in the economy are quite enormous.