Sanwoolu launches Deal Book for Investors

Gbenga Adewale

The Lagos State Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo Olu has launched a Deal Book for the use of all investors in Lagos and the diaspora.

The Governor did this unveiling at the Lagos State Investment Roundtable of the Office of the Sustainable Development Goals and investment held on Thursday at the civic centre, Victoria Island, encouraging investors to take advantage of the Rich information contained in the Deal Book to guide and inform their decision making information and of power and value of all interest.

He therefore called Lagosians to support, partner and collaborate with Lagos State and with one another to create sustainable economic prosperity that would touch the lives of all lagosians as well as to also spread the word that Lagos is opened and ready for investment, innovation and collaboration.

He described the Investment Deal Book as a compendium of investment opportunities across the state and information about incentives for making the investments and its processes for the course.

The Governor expressed further that he could not fail to note that Lagos is entering into a new age of optimism and opportunity for Nigeria and for Africa. Why ? Because “we are emerging from pandemic, having defied the most pessimistic expectations of societal collapse and chaos are surrounded by the cautious hope of new positive growth.”

The Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos on Sustainable Development Goals and Investment, Hon. Mrs. Solape Hammond said in her welcome address speech that it is important to have a listening government and assured that Lagos determination is to institute business friendly measures to boost investor’s confidence and guarantee trust and promised all with utmost sincerity. While she stated how the business member organisation (BMO) were visited in Lagos and listened to their complaints,as the state is now working through SDG with other relevant MDAs of government to minimize all perceived threats and scale up strategic benefits.

She informed on how it has been carefully exemplified by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo- Olu in his developmental agenda themes, that the utmost goal is to make Lagos the most desirable investment destination in the world believed as lofty as the vision is, that as achievable as when all hands are on deck in promoting the good qualities of Lagos and making efforts to render the perceived threats ineffectual.

She added that the ability to attract investment remains the hallmark of healthy economies all over the world and the availability of efficient infrastructure and the relative ease of doing business within a particular entity which goes along way in determining the viability of businesses and investors confidence.

The Chairman house committee on SDG & investment, Hon. Ogunkelu Sylvester said in his goodwill message that you need to be smart in Lagos for you not to be chanced of your given opportunity that you would always find people who would buy your ideas in Lagos as fast as you grab the opportunity and Lagos consumes over 50 percent of Nigeria’s energy in doing businesses.

The South African Consular general, Mr. Darkey Africa expressed in his goodwill message that the earlier the better to trading as African free trade must start now and congratulated Lagos for recognizing the challenges so quick to engage investors.

The Consular general, Netherlands, Mr. Michel Deening spoke, advised everyone to ensure they benefit from the investment in Lagos as they have read progress in Lagos with a visible change at looking at the EKO Atlantic investment, technology and infrastructure and described in one sentence that LAGOS IS THE CITY OF THE FUTURE.

Acting Executive Secretary/CEO NIPC, Mr. Emeka Offor said the journey to achieve this height in Lagos was commendable that it could be said that when SDG began this it only highlighted 10 opportunities in Lagos and started as health pandemic and grew to economic pandemic so government needed to formulate policies that would stress the need to guarantee food security.

The CEO of Asseco Software Nigeria/Investor, Mr. Simon Melchior said in his address that there is need for the people at the diaspora to know the administration procedure and very good to organise an interesting dialogue like this in the state.

Others in attendance were the Deputy Governor of Lagos, Dr. Obafemi Kadri Hamzat, Commissioner for Agriculture,Ms. Bisola Olusanya, S.A works & infrastructure Mrs. Aramide Adeyoye and the Commissioner of Commerce,Industry and cooperatives, Hon. Lola Akande represented by the panelist/ Ceo lekki worldwide, Mr. Tunde Sodade.