Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State was the quintessential sales man when he used a conference in Canada to market Nigeria as a haven for investment, calling on investors to consider the country for investment if they wanted returns on their investment.

Obi was part of the Federal Government Delegation to the Canadian-Nigerian Investment Conference in Toronto, led by Vice-President Namadi Sambo.

The Anambra helmsman, himself a successful businessman, said that while other continents appear to be saturated in terms of investment opportunity, Africa remains a virgin land, with her resources both natural and otherwise still largely untapped. His words: “Africa today represents a world of unlimited potentials in terms of investment. I say this because while other continent are either saturated or in various levels of saturation, Africa remains largely untapped.”

Speaking further, Obi said that even among African countries, Nigeria is a place to be considering her population, which, according to him, translates, ipso facto, to large market. Beyond Large market, he sited the friendliness and hospitality of Nigerians as another factor worthy of consideration.

Though he agreed that the country is facing critical security and infrastructural challenges, he said that all other countries had their own challenges and that one fact that must be admitted was that the country under President Goodluck Jonathan, assisted by Arc. Namadi Sambo is doing everything possible to overcome those challenges.

Obi used SABmiller as an example of rewarding foreign direct investment in Nigeria, saying the brewery giant, as well as other foreign companies that invested in Anambra State, are doing excellently, far beyond their projections.

The conference, organised by the Federal Government of Nigeria in collaboration with the Canadian Council on Africa (CCA), and the Department of Foreign and International Trade (DFAIT) is aimed at boosting the volume of trade and investment between Canada and Nigeria.

•Photo shows Governor Obi (right) discussing with conference participants . . . during the weekend in Canada.

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