Investors, industrialists’ synergy’ll bridge infrastructural gap —AUDA-NEPAD Boss
Princcess Gloria Akobundu, National Coordinator/ Chief Executive Officer, African Union Development Agency-New partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) Nigeria, says serious collaboration between investors and industrial players can eliminate infrastructural deficit in the country.
This was said in a statement signed on Wednesday in Abuja by Abolade Ogundimu, Media Assistant to C.E.O, AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria.
According to Akobundu, there is serious link between development and adequate infrastructure.
“We cannot be talking about development without touching on the key component which is, infrastructure.
“There is need for investors to collaborate with captains of industries, while we also continue to promote Public Private Partnership (PPP), that will enable us to have adequate infrastructural development needed as a country.
“PPP is a global trend and the results have been impressive in many nations around the world, it does not mean that such government is abandoning its responsibility to its people, rather it commitment to rapid infrastructural growth.
“Sufficient investment in the energy sector that can lead to stable powers supply will not only be rewarding to such investors but will also be a good relieve to both individual and corporate consumers” she said.
The C.E. added that the forum could be a good platform to stem common problems confronting continent including: Power,food, infrastructures human capital development..
According to AUDA-NEPAD boss, the nation’s private sector operators should increase collaboration with serious investors with the aim of complementing President Muhammadu Buhari-led government’s aggressive approach to infrastructural development in key areas of the economy.
“Buhari -led government has been working assiduously to reduce infrastructural deficit in the country as can be seen in the magnitude of projects ongoing in different sectors including road and standard rail line construction to ease transportation problems”.
Akobundu commended African Development Bank (AfDB) and its collaborators for organising `Nigeria Road Show’ held on Tuesday in Abuja.
The Roadshow was organised so that AfDB could meet Nigerian industry and business leaders ahead of the second Africa Investment Forum(A.I.F), scheduled for Nov. 11-13, in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Akobundu noted that maiden edition of AIF was regarded a success because most of the discussed deals were secured between industrialists and investors.
She urged Nigerian business leaders to maximize opportunities offered by the Forum, by following up on established contacts made at the roadshow in order to secure finance of more infrastructures in the country.
