Governor Peter Mbah, on Monday, urged Indonesian businesses and investors to take advantage of the numerous investment opportunities, improved business environment and ample returns on investment in Enugu.

Mr Mbah made the call in a keynote address he delivered at the 2023 Nigerian-Indonesian Investment and Trade Forum, which opened in Jakarta. 

At the event organised by the Nigerian-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI), in collaboration with the Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre, Lagos, Mr Mbah commended the growth of trade volume between Nigeria and Indonesia to $4.7 billion.

The governor, however, observed that both countries could do much more, especially considering the abundant opportunities offered by Enugu. He listed the investment opportunities in the state as spanning agriculture, mineral resources, logistics, aviation, tourism, real estate, mineral resources and ICT, among others.

“The state is climatically disposed to the production of key produce like cassava, oil palm, cashew and spices of various types. These areas offer not only the opportunity for primary agricultural production but also the opportunity to invest in industrial facilities to add value to these produce for local consumption as well as export.

“The state is also blessed with significant deposits of minerals. In the area of petroleum, Enugu state has proven deposits of oil but, more importantly, has extensive deposits of natural gas. Other minerals within the state include coal, gold, kaolin, gypsum, clay, and limestone, among others. This makes Enugu State ideal not only for mining but also for the siting of key industries,” Mr Mbah said.

Assuring Enugu is open for business, Mr Mbah said his administration’s target to grow the state’s economy from the present $4.4 billion to a new level of $30 billion was anchored on extensive private sector investment and strong local and international partnerships.

The Indonesian ambassador to Nigeria, Usra Harahap, reiterated the readiness of the government and business community of the country to strengthen investment and trade ties with Nigeria at both federal and sub-national levels for mutual benefits.

“In 2022, the trade volume between Indonesia and Nigeria reached $4.7 billion, with the majority of Indonesia’s imports in oil and gas. However, there are untapped potentials for trade and investment in other sectors, which are massive and open for future development,” Mr Harahap said.

(NAN)