The Minister of Youth and Sports development, Solomon Dalung, former vice president Atiku Abubakar, ruling All Progressives Congress chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun are to lead other top Nigerians to the Nigeria House Business and Investment Summit in Sau Paulo and Rio in Brazil next month.
The Business Summit which is in collaboration with the Brazil Nigeria Chamber of Commerce slated for Sau Paulo between July 21and 22 will also have Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal and Head of Service of the federation, Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita.
Recall that two weeks after the inauguration of the Nigeria House In Rio Olympics Committee by the minister of youth and sports, Solomon Dalung, the president of Brazil Nigeria Chamber of Commerce, Alexandre Teixeira Ramos, visited the Project Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the committee, Mohammed Abdullahi where they cemented relationship and the former inviting the committee for a business summit in Brazil in order to ensure the success of the project in Rio during the Olympics in the area of direct foreign investments in some critical areas.
According to Mohammed Abdullahi, the visit by this powerful delegation to begin the process of wooing direct foreign investments in critical sectors of the economy will also seek to engage would be international investors and business community in Brazil in the areas of agriculture, transport, housing and real estate, solid minerals, education and oil and gas. ” The investment summit is two-legged, beginning from Sao Paulo, the commercial nerve centre of business in Brazil between July 21 and 22 and the second later in Rio for house warming session and countdown to the opening ceremony on August 4. The Nigeria House will open for business on the last lap of the business summit and our cuisines and commencement of activities at the house will also commence in the first week of August.” the CEO said.
Confirming that all is set for the visit of the top Nigerian delegation from Nigeria, President of the Brazil Nigeria Chamber of Commerce, Alexandre Teixeira Ramos, on whose instance is the invitation for the visit, said they have concluded arrangements for the visit after getting approval from the state government of Sao Paulo. In a letter addressed to the CEO, Ramos said, ” following our previous discussion we have discussed with the Sao Paulo state government and we now have a position from them. They are ready to assist with the venue of the event, publicity of the event and organisation of business executives to attend the event. The governor also promised to attend the event however they gave July 21 and 22 as dates for the event.”
Meanwhile, former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, who received the committee members at his Asokoro residence said he is happy to have been found worthy of being made a Nigeria House In Rio Olympics ambassador because the Olympics in Rio is another opportunity to showcase Nigeria’s potentials to the world. “We must realize that every nation has its own challenges and as the time we are going to Brazil the country is facing its worst recession in its life but it has not stopped Brazil from staging the Olympics. So, whatever may be our challenges they are still challenges that we can overcome and project the image of the country positively outside our shores.
“So, l charge the committee to ensure that we portray the nation as much as possible as a destination for investments. And whether we like it or not, God has bestowed on Nigeria potentials and the biggest economy in Africa and no matter the difficulties we are going through now, it has not removed the fact that we are the biggest economy on the continent by our population and GDP. We should be optimistic about the future of this country and never write off this nation and I believe that Nigeria in the next foreseeable future will be the envy of not just Africa but the entire world.” He said.
