Buhari Rallies Japan, Says Investment Returns Highest in Nigeria

• Warns Nigerians in the Diaspora against crime

Omololu Ogunmade in Yokohama, Japan

President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday rallied Japan to massively invest in Nigeria, assuring the Asian nation that the country has enormous investment opportunities that guarantee the highest returns.

Buhari also warned Nigerians in the Diaspora that the federal government would not condone any crime from anywhere.

Speaking at the third plenary session of the second day of the seventh triennial Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD7), Buhari described the period of the conference as an “opportune moment” which he tagged as the case of “investment meeting opportunities” in Nigeria.

The president, who praised what he described as the existing bond of economic and business relationships between Japan and Nigeria, added that such relations were strategic for the country’s socio-economic development.

Buhari, who advocated increased trade and investment in Nigeria from Japan, also unveiled a new initiative, Japan-Nigeria Business Facilitation Council, which he described as Japan’s fresh initiative to serve as the platform for trade operations between the two countries.
Appreciating Japan for this initiative, the president disclosed that the council would be formally launched upon his return to Nigeria and expressed optimism that this fresh initiative would foster increased trade between the two countries.

The president also described the schedule of TICAD7 as strategic for Nigeria, noting that the event came at the time Nigeria was confronted with economic challenges, which prompted it to pay more attention to agriculture and manufacturing as a way of diversifying the economy.
He said the period of the conference was strategic because it took place at the time Nigeria was not only striving to address both the energy crisis and infrastructure deficit plaguing it, but also at the time the federal government was promoting private sector-driven economic initiatives meant to enhance good governance, human capital development and business climate reform.

“Nigeria appreciates the existing bonds of friendship and economic cooperation with Japan, a strategic partner for our socio-economic development,” he said, adding that Nigeria intended to further encourage relationships with key public and private sector stakeholders.
He said he was pleased with the discussions on the establishment of the Japan-Nigeria Business Facilitation Council, an initiative of the Japanese Government, which, he promised, would be launched on his return to Nigeria.

“I look forward to positive reports of increased trade and investment between Nigeria and Japan from these initiatives,” the president said.
Buhari said the TICAD Forum was important to Nigeria in many respects, explaining that it coincided with the period when the country was faced with a number of challenges that affect our economy.

He told his audience that his administration had put in place measures seeking to diversify the economy by developing agriculture, emphasising on manufacturing and addressing the energy and infrastructure deficits.

With these efforts, he said, Nigeria had been placed on the path of rapid growth and sustainable development.
Saying his administration was implementing home-grown and private sector-driven economic measures that were predicated on good governance, infrastructure and human capital development as well as business climate reform, he argued that Nigeria was flowing with investment opportunities.

“We therefore invite the private sector to come and invest in Nigeria,” Buhari said.
The president enumerated viable sectors, which he said the federal government had identified as the platforms for driving the country’s economic agenda.

He wooed Japan to take advantage of the activities of the Presidential Committee on Enabling Business Environment established by the federal government to enhance ease of doing business in Nigeria, saying the country was committed to eliminating hindrances to private sector-driven investments in Nigeria through favourable policies.
Buhari listed areas of investment, which he urged Japanese investors to explore to include: power, renewable energy, petrochemicals, automobile, gas, agribusiness, healthcare, among others.

We Won’t Condone Crime Anywhere, President Warns Nigerians

Meanwhile, a few days after the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) charged 80 persons most of whom are Nigerians over a range of fraudulent activities, the president yesterday warned Nigerians in the Diaspora that the federal government would not condone any crime from anywhere.

Addressing the Nigerian community in Japan at the Royal Park Hotel on the sidelines of the seventh TICAD, the president said Nigeria would not allow bad eggs among Nigerians resident abroad to continue to portray the country in bad light.

“We will not condone any crime whether at home or abroad, and we will also not allow these Nigerians define us as a people with reputation for criminality,” he said.

The meeting was organised by the Chairman of Diaspora Commission, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
The president talked tough, saying the criminal lifestyle of Nigerians engaging in all manners of crimes abroad debases the values of the country.

According to him, those who carry out such criminal acts are in the minority as he counselled them to turn over a new leaf.
“Let me also say that there are few Nigerians in the Diaspora that are giving us a bad name by engaging in criminal activities. These Nigerians are a minority, they do not represent the values of our country, and I plead with them to change their ways,” he said.

Buhari expressed pleasure over the productive outputs of Nigerians living in Japan, saying they have made the country proud.

He added that many other Nigerians in the Diaspora like them had excelled in varying fields of endeavour, both professionally and individually.
“You have also made significant and overwhelmingly positive contributions to your Nigerian and international host communities. You have continually been a positive bridge between Nigeria and the world. It is not an easy feat and we commend you, salute your courage and efforts,” he stated.

He also charged them not only to be good ambassadors of their host countries but also to obey the laws of such countries.
He praised entrepreneurs among them in Japan, saying that he was happy because millions of Nigerians all over the world were making the country proud.

Buhari also told the people that he had regularly met with Nigerians living in Diaspora and counselled them to project the country’s image positively.

According to him, his administration’s interest in the activities of Nigerians living in Diaspora was the underlying factor behind the establishment of the Diaspora Commission.

Earlier, Dabiri-Erewa had introduced members of the community to the president, informing him about the huge exploits of some of them in both Japan and Nigeria.

While presenting a speech at the meeting, Chairman of the Nigerian community in Japan, Mr. Kennedy Nnaji, implored Buhari to restore Nigeria’s educational system, provide quality infrastructure, effective power supply, clean water and simultaneously improve security.

He also told the president that some Japanese were skeptical about the prospects of investments in Nigeria because of their perception about security situation in the country and urged the president to engage such people.