AT a recent forum of businessmen and investors in Asaba, the Delta State capital, the readiness of the state government to host businesses in the state was unveiled to the numerous stakeholders. The state Commissioner for Finance, Sir Fidelis Tilije, who disclosed the plan, said there was an abundance of incentives that investors could take advantage of to establish highly profitable enterprises in the state. With peace and security firmly in place, he said the state was tax-friendly, and has eased the process of land provision for the establishment of business organisations.
According to him, the ease of doing business in the state was top-notch. He beckoned, ‘’Delta State is home to people who want to do good business. We are ensuring that those who come to do business in Delta do so profitably.’’ The forum, which was co-hosted by the Delta State Government and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council had as its theme, ‘’State Action on Business Enabling Reforms.’’ Concluding the invitation of the state government to investors, Sir Tilije underscored, ‘’We are a big economy state.’’
The invitation is for both local and international investors. We strongly align with the position as enunciated by the Finance Commissioner. By the assessment of the government, the state is well equipped to host multi-sector investment concerns, including oil and gas, for which it is reputed nationally and internationally. In fact, the state produces 30 percent of Nigeria’s total oil and gas, which accounts for a great chunk of her foreign exchange earnings. This means that investors could cash in on the opportunities offered by the sector to establish modular refineries and allied business systems.
Nearness to the sources of the raw materials is an added advantage of building such investments in mostly the oil and gas bearing areas of the three geopolitical zones of the state. With the current Electricity Act, which provides for state and private sector participation in the generation and distribution of electricity in the country, Delta State, with a population of more than six million based on the 2024 estimates, is an attractive investment destination for investors in the sector. The emergence of cities and well-developed townships makes the state highly urbanized with a huge demand for electricity and gas. In some rural areas, the use of gas is now the trend, interestingly.
Furthermore, the agricultural sector provides vast options for investors. With rich soil types, opportunities for staple and tree crop farming abound; so too are livestock and farming. The state encourages ranching, which implies that businessmen can invest in cattle ranching with the potential to feed the state and nation with beef and milk profitably. Poultry, piggery, and rearing of goats are other investment options in the sector. Numerous agro-allied industries could also emerge from the agricultural value chain.
Our multi-ethnic state has an appetite for furniture and fashion. What this means is that there are profitable and enduring opportunities in the areas of making trendy furniture and designer garments for local and global consumption. We are aware, for instance, that these items are in demand in other African countries. For long, the state has been reputed for steel production, glass and bottle factories, and boat building. The opportunities in these areas are still there and even far greater than ever.
As revealed by the Commissioner for Finance, the ease of establishing businesses in the state is as sure as the daylight. In addition, there is abundant space in the digital economy, which investors could also capitalize on. We encourage investors to tap into the business opportunities offered by the state.
What’s more? Delta State is crisscrossed with access roads, which make transportation within the state a lot easier. With a high population of literacy, the state offers a substantial percentage of requisite, educated manpower, a factor that is also a big boost to product demand. Without any iota of doubt, coming to Delta State to invest means creating jobs for Nigerian youths and minimizing unemployment in the country. And, of course, it would not only make the investors richer, it would increase the state’s internal revenue base substantially and enhance the nation’s gross domestic product.
