…40 Prospective Investors Attend Kano Roundtable as Governor Unveils Lucrative Opportunities
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has declared that the state is safe, stable and ready for business, inviting local and international investors to tap into its vast economic opportunities.
Zulum made the declaration on Monday at the second private sector engagement and investment roundtable held at Tahir Guests Place in Kano, where about 40 prospective investors from different sectors gathered to explore investment opportunities in the state.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr Babagana Mustapha Mallumbe, the governor urged investors to consider opportunities in agriculture, livestock, fisheries, housing, infrastructure and solid minerals.
The roundtable, themed “Mobilising Private Capital for Durable Solutions and Sustainable Development,” was organised with support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the European Union and the German Government.
The meeting followed an earlier investment roundtable in Lagos, where Borno State secured nine investment commitments.
Zulum said his administration was determined to move Borno beyond humanitarian assistance towards sustainable economic recovery, stressing that private-sector investment was essential to job creation, wealth generation and rebuilding livelihoods.
“Presently, Borno is safe, stable and open for business. Borno sits at the nexus of the Lake Chad Basin, serving as a natural trade corridor linking Nigeria to Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic,” he said.
The governor attributed the security improvements recorded in the state to the efforts of the armed forces, security agencies and volunteer groups, noting that Borno’s strategic location provides investors access to a regional market with more than 50 million people.
He identified the state’s agricultural potential, livestock resources, fisheries and solid mineral deposits as key sectors capable of attracting substantial private investment.
According to him, government alone cannot drive economic prosperity without meaningful participation from the private sector.
“Government creates the enabling environment, but the private sector creates wealth, jobs and lasting prosperity,” Zulum stated.
He further disclosed that his administration was investing in human capital development as part of its 25-year development plan, revealing that more than 3,000 people had graduated from vocational training centres across the state.
Zulum also highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen manpower development in the health sector, assuring investors that his government would honour its commitments and provide the necessary support for transparent and mutually beneficial public-private partnerships.
“We are not here to ask for charity. We are here to present bankable, high-yield and direct investment opportunities for you. Borno is ready. Borno is bankable. We invite you to partner with a government that honours its word,” he declared.
To encourage investment, the governor listed incentives including simplified land acquisition procedures, infrastructure support, industrial clusters and a business-friendly tax framework.
Also speaking, the Chief Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development, Partnerships and Humanitarian Response, Dr Mairo Mandara, described Borno as a strategic gateway to a regional economic market serving more than 50 million people.
“Borno has moved from emergency to recovery. The task now is to convert recovery into an economy,” Mandara said.
Prospective investors were also scheduled to receive detailed presentations on the state’s proposed industrial park, inland dry port, bonded terminal and ease-of-doing-business framework.
The roundtable was attended by the Chairman, House Committee on Trade, Tourism and Investment, Hon. Baba Shehu Gulumba; Chairman, Committee on Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement, Hon. Baba Mala Sunoma, and several commissioners.
Others included the Commissioners for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar; Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Arc. Isa Garba Halidu; Works and Housing, Engr. Adam Bukar Bababe; Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Hon. Sugun Mai Mele; and Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Maina Yaumi.
Special advisers, permanent secretaries, heads of government agencies and other senior officials also attended the engagement.
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