Investment Drive: Governor Yahaya Woos Chinese, American Inventors

Gombe State governor and chairman Northern Governors Forum, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has played host to a group of investors from the United States of America and the Republic of China who were in Gombe to explore investment opportunities in the state ahead of the forthcoming Gombe Investment Summit 2024. 

The deputy governor and chairman of the Investment Summit, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau, who received the group on behalf of the governor, expressed government’s commitment to collaborate and support investors willing to contribute to the economic growth of Gombe state, highlighting Gombe’s commitment to tackling unemployment through industrialization.

He said this vision led to the establishment of the sprawling 1000-Hectare Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park in Dadin Kowa with all infrastructure provided, and uninterrupted supply of 16 MW of electricity directly from the 40 MW Dadin Kowa Hydropower Plant which is 30km away from the industrial park. 

He added that the industrial park is structured to accommodate heavy, medium, and light industries across various sectors including agribusiness, renewable energy, steel and mining, as well as other pivotal areas within manufacturing and services.

Speaking on the business climate in Gombe state, the deputy governor emphasized the investment-friendly nature of Inuwa Yahaya-led government policies and programmes. He pointed out that the government’s efforts in fostering a business-friendly atmosphere have led to Gombe being ranked No. 1 in Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria for two consecutive years. 

The deputy governor further elaborated on the market potential for goods produced in Gombe, highlighting its strategic location bordering five states in the North-East subregion and easy reach to other states in North-West and North-Central subregions. 

He maintained that the substantial flow of goods from Nigeria to Cameroon, Chad and Niger, especially through communities in some states of the North-East that boarder these neighboring countries, vast market await the investors.

In his remarks, the leader of the delegation and vice president of the Global Consortium of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Alhaji Shuaibu Bello, acknowledges the commitment of the Gombe state government. 

He explained that this commitment was what attracted a consortium comprising three global companies to the state to assess the political will and investment potential.

Dr. Jatau mentioned that the companies are globally renowned in the fields of Agriculture, Engineering, and Energy Development. 

The visiting companies include Agrotech Innovation Lab, China Railway Engineering Company Nigeria Limited, and D.E.C specializing in energy development.

Commissioners for Finance and Economic Development, Muhammad Gambo Magaji, Budget and Economic Planning, Salisu Baba Alkali, Energy and Mineral Resources, Sanusi Ahmed Pindiga, and that of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Dr. Barnabas Malle, as well as permanent secretaries, and Interim Chairman of the Industrial Park Management Committee and the Managing Director, Gombe State Investment and Property Development Company Limited, among others, were among those who joined the deputy governor to receive the investors.