NIGERIA IS SAFE FOR INVESTORS - ADEFUYE

Professor Adebowale Adefuye, Nigeria's Ambassador to the U.S on Tuesday said Nigeria is safe for investors. The envoy stated this in his speech delivered at the January 2012 Guest Economic Lecture at Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) in Washington.

Adefuye said Nigeria could and would deal with whatever security problems facing it as a nation. The Ambassador noted the U.S government had proposed that the Niger-Delta and Regional Security component of the Nigeria-U.S. Bi-national Commission Agreement be split into separate entities.

Adefuye said that the first meeting on Regional Security would hold on Jan. 23 and 24. He, however, disclosed that the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan was hinged on broadening the base of the nation's economy by using the proceeds from oil to invest in non-oil exports, such as agriculture.

'Because of the volatility of the oil industry and the need to feed our people, we are making a conscious effort to return to the land. He said government planned to tackle the problem of ageing and lack of infrastructure the same it was tackling the problems facing the energy and agricultural sectors.

The envoy added that the mission was also planning an investor's forum on agriculture which would take place on April. 11. Adefuye explained that the meeting would come a day before the annual general meeting of US EXIM Bank which had agreed that a session of the meeting be devoted to a forum on investing in agriculture in Nigeria.