From Uche Usim, Abuja
The Acting Director General of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), Mr Emeka Offor at the weekend, assured the Polish Ambassador to Nigeria, Joanna Tarnawska and investors from Poland that their investments in Nigeria remain safe and secure.
He assured them of NIPC’s support at all times as a way of deepening the bilateral ties between both nations.
Offor gave the assurances when he led a delegation from NIPC on a courtesy visit to the Polish Ambassador.
He assured the Ambassador of NIPC’s support in building awareness and improving investment relations between Poland and Nigeria.
On ascertaining the credibility of companies, Mr Offor stated; “What we always suggest is that prospective investors talk to NIPC first so that we can handhold them; take them through the process.
“If there are needs to take them to attend certain meetings with regulators, other government agencies or State Governors, we will willingly handhold them and ensure that they are in safe hands,” he said.
Mr Offor further explained that in line with Nigeria’s e-government initiative, NIPC launched an e-OSIC platform – https://swip.nipc.gov.ng/ which grants access to NIPC’s one stop shop remotely, to further ease doing business in Nigeria.
The Polish ambassador, in her remarks, expressed interest in identifying areas of cooperation with the NIPC to facilitate the interests of Polish investors in Nigeria.
The Ambassador described Nigeria as a thriving investment destination, even as she noted that there was a negative perception of Nigeria by foreign media and a minor presence of Polish investors in Nigeria.
She further stated that another challenge Polish investors faced was in identifying credible companies to collaborate with, in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is a favourable place in general for business and other forms of activities, but Polish investors simply do not know how and where to start,” she said.
NIPC took a lead role in pitching Nigeria’s investment prospects at the Polish-Nigeria Trade and Investment Forum in Poznan and at the Polish National Assembly.
The event, which was organised in collaboration with the Centre for Polish and African Affairs of the Poznan University of Communication and Management and Polish – Nigeria Trade & Investment Forum (PONTIF), was set up to increase bilateral trade and investment between both countries; after which some Polish investors visited Nigeria to pursue business interests.
Ambassador Tarnawska committed to a formal visit to NIPC in February, to firm up details of improving the trade and investment relationship between Nigeria and Poland.