Osun is a very rich state, says NIPC

The Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) has described Osun as a rich state.

]The head of the NIPC south-west zonal office, Ibadan, Hassan Lawal, said this at a stakeholders’ forum organised by the Osun Investment Promotion Agency (OSIPA) in collaboration with NIPC.

The programme held at Osun Civil Service Development Centre, Abere, Osogbo.

Addressing journalists shortly after the stakeholders’ forum, Lawal lauded Adegboyega Oyetola, governor of Osun state, for his administration’s “commitment to the advancement of the state’s economy”.

He said Osun government had proved its readiness to turn a new leaf in turning the state to an investment destination.

The NIPC zonal boss, who described the forum as a necessity to further assess the state’s readiness for business and investment promotion, said the commission was highly impressed by the level of commitment geared towards sustaining the state’s economy and enhancing its productivity and economic profile.

He lauded the State government for the prompt and timely creation of Osun Investment Promotion Agency (OSIPA), which he said had really helped in boosting the capacity of the state to foster a better investment and business partnership with local and foreign investors.

“What we are doing here today has been done in many of the States of the Federation and our attention is focused on Osun State as part of efforts to take the State out of its seeming ‘Civil Service Status’ and make it a business and investor driven economy, and this is the process to get there.

“We have been here since yesterday and we have been able to commence this project which we call NICPS i.e Nigeria Investment Certification Programme for States that was developed with the help of the World Bank.

“Our target is to make State to better project their opportunities. We have gotten to a stage to profile Osun economy. Osun is very wealthy, Osun is a very rich State as we have many mineral resources, arable land, and her people are very resourceful. Osun has all it takes to be a leading investment State in Nigeria that is why we have commenced the assessment; and our target is to strengthen the capacity of the State in this regard.

“So, what we are here today for, is part of those supports that we give to the States, and it is the turn of Osun. Aside from helping the States to create Investment Promotion Agency, we also assist States with part of those tools in getting a compact understanding of those tools that we use to drive investment and one of those tools is this NICPS.

“I want to thank Governor Oyetola. He has done excellently well, particularly for being the major promoter of the State’s investment and business opportunities. I use this opportunity to appreciate him and for having a formidable team in the Osun Investment Promotion Agency (OSIPA). Osun has done fantastically well.

“Though we are not done yet because after this programme, we still have trainings for the team of OSIPA on how to have the rudiments of investment promotion and how to attract investors. What I presented is part of those tools that we need to drive investment in the State.”