The Federal Government has again expressed readiness to de-risk private investments and provide consistent policy direction for the growth of the nation’s economy.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, reiterated the administration’s readiness while speaking on Thursday at the Imo State Economic Summit 2025 in Owerri.
“The Federal Government stands ready to walk with Imo State to unlock opportunities, de-risk promising ventures and ensure that the benefits of development are felt across communities.
“To investors here today, the message is unmistakable: Imo is open for business. Nigeria is open for business,” he said.
The VP, according to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications, Office of The Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, identified Imo State as a major pillar in Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda primed for rapid growth in technology, gas utilisation, agro-industrial processing and small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).
He said the government is committed to providing access to financing through the Bank of Industry (BOI) and the Development Bank of Nigeria, alongside structured Public-Private Partnerships in housing, transport, and renewable energy sectors for the state.
Shettima said national prosperity could only be sustained when every state takes ownership of its development and deliberately harnesses its comparative advantages.
“Nations do not rise because one corner of the map ascends while others remain dormant. Nations rise when every part discovers its promise and takes responsibility for its own economic direction,” he said.
According to him, the summit’s theme, ‘Unlocking Imo’s Economic Potential: Partnership, Investment, and Innovation’, aligns with the Federal Government’s reform agenda to build a resilient, competitive and inclusive economy.
“All these possibilities converge to remind us that Imo is not just ready for investment. Imo is primed for transformation,” Shettima said.
He challenged stakeholders to shift from dialogue to execution. “Let this Summit not end with good ideas alone. Let it lead to signed partnerships, funded projects and measurable outcomes that uplift lives and create jobs,” he urged.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma commended President Tinubu’s intentional reform policies, which he said have reset Nigeria’s investment space.
He noted that Imo State had since keyed into the reforms of the President, with the aim of taking the lead in regional development.
Governor Uzodinma said the state, under his leadership, had since utilized its unique landmass and abundant natural resources in providing the ideal environment for investors and businesses to thrive.
“We are blessed with the largest game reserve estimated at 200 trillion cubic feet. So, for those looking for business in gas exploration and utilization, Imo State is the destination.
“We also have other resources like lead, zinc, crude oil, cotton, etc. The incentives are ready and agriculture is our mainstay as the heartland of Eastern Nigeria. We also boast of the 3rd highest human capital development index in the country,” the Governor stated.
