The Executive Secretary of South East Business and Investment Summit (SEBIS) Group, Dr. Ifedi Okwenna, today led a delegation of the Group to discuss a business partnership arrangement with the Managing Director/Chief Executive of Enyimba Economic City, Dr. Carl Uzu at his Abuja office.
The engagement was to work out strategies leading to a partnership that will stimulate economic growth and Investment Promotion in the South East Nigeria. Core of their discussion focused on the forthcoming South East Business and Investment Summit, an initiative poised to attract a diverse array of global investors into the South East of Nigeria.
Speaking, Dr Okwenna extolled the efforts of Dr. Carl Uzu in putting together an ambitious global business hub in the heart of the Eastern landscape. He stated that the duty-free Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project will on completion transform Abia State and Nigeria into a manufacturing and industrial powerhouse. He invited Dr. Carl Uzu and Enyimba Economic City to partner SEBIS in the Group’s effort to promote business and investment and stimulate the economy of South East through the upcoming South East Business and Investment Summit under a public private sector partnership arrangement.
He said, “South East Business and Investment Summit is working tirelessly to secure investment portfolio of $1 billion over the next five years, specifically aimed at supporting micros, small and medium-sized enterprises and infrastructure development in the South East.
He said that partnering EEC will be a win win, as it will attract investments and businesses into Enyimba Economic City and into Eastern hinterland. This will further stimulate the creation of structures to attract and support infrastructure investments and development into the South East Region.
He said the vision for the Summit is about creating substantial, lasting partnerships that can drive regional development.
“We can’t leave it to government alone it must only work as partnership that benefit all” Okwenna stated.
Welcoming the delegation, the Managing Director of Enyimba Economic City, Dr. Carl Uzu, expressed his excitement at the visit and with the proposal for partnership for promotion of investment in the South East. He explained that Enyimba Economic City is a 9803 hectares of Greenfield Integrated City, connecting 11 States of South South/South East within a 150 km radius and a captive population of close to 60 million. According to him the City is planned to be a Work, Live, Learn, and Play Vibrant Integrated City with growth sectors in Industrial Activities, Aviation, Entertainment, Health & Medical, Tech & Knowledge Hub, Logistics, and Lifestyle Residential, designed to be the Global Business Hub in Nigeria.
The project, Dr. Uzu stated, approved under the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Made in Nigeria for Export (MINE) Programme, will on completion have in place a 504 MVA dedicated gas powered generating station; a 309,390 m3/day water works with access to natural waterbody; Access to road, rail, water and air logistics infrastructure and with approval for a full Origin and destination (OD) Inland Port for the city. The concept of EEC according to Dr Uzu is to establish a stable business environment in Eastern flank of Nigeria that attract manufacturing and fostering technological innovation. This vision he stated positions Enyimba as a catalyst for economic growth in the region.
He expressed his desire to partner SEBIS in their programme of promoting business and Investment and to stimulating the economy of South East as evolving a robust region -wide private partnership schemes that will build wealth in South East remains within his organization’s concept of aligning investment with aim of making a difference and being part of solution to some of Nigeria’s challenges.
The upcoming South East Business and Investment Summit (SEBIS) will come up from 11th-13th December, 2024 in the South East city of Enugu. It will bring together more than 1000 business men and women, investors and change makers from across the globe physically and over 10,000 other participants virtually.
Participants will engage in in-depth discussions on innovative investment strategies, emerging market opportunities and the significant impact of technological advancement in shaping financial practices.
It will be a platform for sharing insights, forging strategic alliances and setting agenda for investment trends in South East Nigeria.
The Summit will support and stimulate the revitalization, development and growth of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and startups in the South East Nigeria; Create and develop Enterprise Development Agency that will stimulate the establishment, skill development, capacity building, innovation, fund syndication and market access for MSMEs, startups and corporate businesses in the South East Nigeria amongst others.
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