From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Special Adviser to the Governor of Benue State on International Investments, Sir Alex Addingi, said all is set to welcome investors at the 2024 Benue International Investment Summit (BIIS).
Sir Addingi, is the Vice Chairman of the event’s Local Organizing Committee (LOC).
An inaugural meeting of the LOC, 2024 BIIS, was held earlier this week, with the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ode, as Chairman.
Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, in Makurdi, Sir Addingi, said the inaugural BIIS 2024 aims at projecting “Benue State, as a North Central Nigeria strategic hub for economic development to investors.
“Essentially, the ground-breaking event is expected to bring together local and international investment community, industry experts, and investors to explore innovative ideas, foster collaborations, and catalyze mutually beneficial engagements and discussions.
“The overarching goal is to set in motion the collaborative partnerships and possibly creation of hubs in the state.”
He added that “the philosophy behind BIIS extends beyond mere discussions; it is a call to action. It envisions the birth of “economic city (ies)” that will not only attract foreign direct investment but also nurture a vibrant ecosystem for local businesses.
He noted explained that BIIS seeks to capitalize on the rich and comparatively advantageous potentials of Benue State, leveraging her unique resources, skilled workforce, and generally untapped opportunities.
According to Sir Addingi, “BIIS draws inspiration from the seven pillars of the Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia led Government of Benue State, “to build an economy based on functional education, employment generation, agricultural development and growth with focus on food production and processing in a secured environment that ensures food security, wealth creation and poverty reduction.”
The Special Adviser discloses that his office is in touch with scores of investors that have already indicated interest in the summit, which is due to take place in the second quarter of this year.
Earlier at LOC’s inaugural meeting, the Deputy Governor noted that the BIIS will birth “Benue Economic City (BEC).” He described BEC as “a city that will be highly commercialized with mixed development projects.”
According to Dr. Ode, the idea for BEC is to attain “free trade economic status to redefine the commercial landscape of the state with commercial property such as industrial parks, mega malls, cinemas, film studios, a mini health city, a world-class entertainment centre, restaurants, hotels, banks, Diaspora estate, International conference centre, luxury apartments, a golf course and a mini sport centre.
“Besides the proposed infrastructure, the city project promises dedicated independent power supply, portable water, high-speed internet, high-tech security, and emergency services, including an ultra-modern fire service and air ambulances.”