The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamilia, has lauded the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for providing enabling environments for private businesses to thrive in the FCT.

Mr Gbajabiamila gave the commendation during the collaboration and franchise sign-off between HyperCity, a Nigerian e-commerce store, and Carrefour, a French retail chain, in Abuja on Tuesday.

The chief of staff, who said he represented Mr Tinubu at the event, described the collaboration as a “powerful statement of confidence” in the nation’s economy.

He described Mr Wike’s role in facilitating the landmark partnership between HyperCity and Carrefour as “commendable.”

According to him, the minister’s deep thoughts and business-oriented approach to public administration are yielding tangible results for the nation’s capital.

He added that the successful collaboration served as a direct testament to Mr Wike’s ongoing commitment to reshaping the economic and physical landscape of Abuja.

He said, “While the partnership is taking roots in Abuja, it signals Nigeria’s broader status as the premier investment destination in Africa.

“The FCT is currently sowing the seed for a retail revolution that is expected to spread across the country, but the seed will grow into a tree with many branches in different cities in Nigeria.”

Highlighting the stability and potential of the Nigerian market under the current administration, Mr Gbajabiamila urged international investors to view Nigeria not merely as a market but as a home for long-term partnership.

In his remarks, managing director of HyperCity, Sunny Chawla, said the partnership would serve as a major catalyst for Nigeria’s economy.

He noted that the collaboration with Carrefour was expected to drive investment, boost industrial growth, create jobs, and expand market access for local suppliers and producers.

Mr Chawla added that plans include opening new stores in Abuja and other major cities to promote modern retail development nationwide.

He described the milestone as a starting point aimed at empowering local businesses and bridging global retail standards with opportunities in Nigeria.

He stated, “By combining global operational excellence with local ambition, the initiative aims to build a world-class retail ecosystem that delivers quality products and modern shopping experiences to Nigerian families.”

The managing director emphasised that Nigeria had proven itself to be a market of real opportunity rather than just potential, citing the strong growth recorded since the opening of their first store in Port Harcourt in 2022.

“This partnership represents a shift from observing Nigeria from a distance to actively investing and building within its borders, leveraging global standards to meet the nation’s rising retail demands. As the partnership enters its next phase, a strategic expansion plan is already in motion, beginning with the transition of existing Port Harcourt stores to the Carrefour brand.

“The momentum generated in Abuja is expected to facilitate the retail collaboration’s expansion into other major urban centres, including Lagos, in the near future.

“The emergence of Abuja as a retail hub is being presented to the global business community as a model of the stability and potential found within the Nigerian market,”Mr Chawla said. 

(NAN)