By Paul Nwosu
The concerted drive by Anambra State Governor, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, to turn Anambra State into a liveable and prosperous megacity will move into high gear at the Anambra Investment Summit on September 7. The economic potentials of Anambra State as a prime investment destination will be unleashed at the International Convention Centre, Awka. Anambra State will never be the same again in the echelons of investment after the Summit.
Anambra’s Investment Potential
The Summit, the first of its kind, will bring together key Development Partners, Development Finance Institutions, Investment Banks, Captains of Industries, Government Officials, Venture Capitalists, and other stakeholders to showcase Anambra State as the investment hub of the nation. Crucial investment and developmental issues will be placed on the front-burner and diligently canvassed. Deals will be closed.
Governor Soludo’s emphasis on round-the-clock security is pivotal in attracting investors to partner with Anambra State. Immediately he assumed office, he set up the Ministry of Homeland Security and constituted a Joint Task Force that comprises the Nigerian Army, Navy, Civil Defence, NDLEA, Anambra Vigilante Group (AVG), and of course, the Police. With security in place, there is a major ease of doing business in Anambra State.
Anambra’s Economic Potential
Leo-Stan Ekeh, the CEO of the trailblazing Zinox Computers who is not from Anambra State once said: “The wealth, energy, and knowledge per square metre in Anambra does not exist in any other part of Africa. If Anambra State were to be a country, it would rank as the 42nd richest in Africa.”
Anambra State is now living up to its splendid history and title as The Light of the Nation. Created on August 27, 1991, Anambra State occupies a land area of 41,416 square kilometers and has a population of about five million. The state that draws its name from the majestic Anambra (Omambala) River, a major tributary of the celebrated River Niger, is home to all Nigerians. Ndi-Anambra are well-travelled republicans who live in all parts of Nigeria and the world. Investing in Anambra State is investing in the destiny of Nigeria. The Anambra government welcomes with wide open hands all genuine investors from Nigeria and across the globe.
Infrastructure and Investment Opportunities
The ultra-modern Anambra State International Cargo Airport, Umueri is in good stead to orchestrate multiform investments in the state. The Onitsha River Port has just started formal operations with barges coming in. The Oseakwa potential Port is another project that stands out.
Multi-dimensional projects are fast coming on stream in Anambra such as the 80-hectare Akwaihedi-Unubi-Uga Automotive Industrial Park, the 4006-hectare Ikenga Mixed-Use Industrial City, AUU Automotive Industrial Park, Integrated Agro-Industrial Park, the Anambra Export Emporium, Anambra Intra-City Rail project, the Solution Innovation & Technology District, the Anambra State Pharmaceutical Distribution Hub in Oba, the 200-hectare Ogboji Pharma Park, and more.
A ready pool of skilled manpower is available in every field of endeavor in Anambra State. The people are globally well-respected for being intelligent, resourceful, and hardworking. The entrepreneurial application is first-class. The manpower base is supplied by many institutions of higher learning, notably: Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam; Federal Polytechnic, Oko, and others.
Strategic Location
Anambra State is well-located as the gateway into the Southeast of Nigeria from the landmark Niger Bridge, of which a more modern Second Niger Bridge has just been constructed. The state is accessible by land, water, and air, sharing boundaries with five states, namely: Abia, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Kogi.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industries
Anambra State is blessed with rich arable land for the cultivation of yam, cassava, rice, maize, palm produce, cashew fruits and nuts, oranges, mangoes, etc. The rearing of cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, and fish is an all-year-round practice. Agro-based industries such as vegetable oil processing, livestock feeds, cashew processing, dairy products, fish processing, etc. are on the rise. Situated in the tropical rain forest and with an average temperature of 30°C, Anambra State provides an auspicious environment for investment and habitation. Life’s basic needs like housing, food, transport, children’s education, and recreation are quite affordable. Support facilities such as communications, hotels, and banking facilities are available. A Clean & Green revolution has been launched, and the planting of a million trees is on course.
Hospitality and Markets
Ndi-Anambra rank amongst the most hospitable Nigerians. The fact that Anambra people are reputable travelers is replicated in the respectful manner that visitors to the state are treated with warmth and consummate affection. The many hotels all over the towns in the state are veritable venues of reciprocal conviviality.
The processing of documents and the allocation of plots investors do not take time. Certificates of occupancy are immediately provided once agreements are reached.
Anambra State teems with diverse markets for retail, wholesale, and export trade. The Onitsha Main Market is reputedly the largest market in Africa while the burgeoning Nnewi Market and multiform industries built through communal effort are patronized from all over Africa and beyond. All villages and towns have thriving markets and new ones are springing up such as the 5-hectare Awka Shopping Mall at Agu-Awka. The Green Village Energy (GVE) is giving electricity to rural communities like Nzam, Oroma-Etiti, Umudara-Anam, and Umuenwelum.
Tourism and Natural Resources
Investment potentials abound in the tourism industry. There are many tourist attractions that are open to yielding plenteous returns on investment, notably: Ogbunike Cave, Owerre-Ezukala Waterfalls, Agulu Lake, Igboukwu Bronzes and Museum, Rojenny Tourist Village in Oba, Odinani Museum in Nri, Awka Blacksmithing and Iron-mongering, etc.
Anambra State sits on a vast well of crude oil. There are also vast deposits of gas, clay, granite, and sundry mineral resources.
Conclusion
For enduring profitable investment, Anambra State is the destination of choice. The Anambra Investment Summit of September 7 is indeed an idea whose time has come.
Sir Paul Nwosu
Commissioner for Information
Anambra State