The last one week has been very interesting as the Aareonakakanfo of Yoruba land,Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams played host to investors from Thailand.
The foreign investors came to the country with high expectations and hope.
And at the end of their one- week stay in Nigeria,they left the shores of this country happy and fulfilled that there’s hope that their businesses can thrive in Nigeria.
They were confident that the Yoruba generalissimo is ready to chart a new course and build strong business network with them.
The Thai-Nigeria business initiative was conceived about four years ago, but it came to reality in the year 2020, when Iba Gani Adams visited Bangkok,Thailand, on a trip that later translated to an enduring business relationship.
Also in January this year,Iba Adams went to Thailand with his team to finalise all the arrangements for a successful business partnership between the two countries.
It was the success recorded from the previous meetings that paved the way for the investors to come to Nigeria and see for themselves the reality and prospect of investing in Nigeria.
While addressing the Thailand- Nigeria business stakeholders last week in Lagos, Iba Adams said the visit of the investors was timely because it came at a time when Nigeria is in dire need of a new paradigm shift in its business policy direction.
He stated that the reason for the parley is for the investors to explore the Nigerian market,by providing solutions to the various challenges faced by Nigerians in the various sectors,such as power, health, Agric,transport,fashion, cosmetic as well as other areas of interest.
The Yoruba generalissimo also thanked the Thai Business team for the confidence reposed in him and his team in ensuring that the business proposals sailed through.
He gave the assurances that Nigeria is ready to accommodate them, taking into consideration all the necessary precautions that would guarantee better results between Nigeria and Thailand individual and government agencies.
As far as I am concerned, the various meetings held with the Thailand business conglomerates, as well as other key stakeholders of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry,Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Nigeria Textile Union Delegates and owners of the various business enterprises in Nigeria, will surely yield better results.
However,in the last one week that all these business proposals and engagements between the Thai-Nigeria business communities lasted,I have an idea of what Nigeria had lost to insecurity and leadership failures.
And I think it is high time for the new administration under president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to change the ugly narratives by seeking global investment in the country.
For instance,in the 80s and early 90s,Nigeria had several investors that explored the Nigerian market.
In those days,we had foreign companies,business owners that invested in the Nigerian market because Nigeria is safe for them and for their businesses to thrive.
But today,things have changed. None of the global business owners are ready to risk doing business in Nigeria.
They continue to leave the country for other African countries where they believe they are save and the future of their investments is guaranteed.
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This has been a major challenge for Nigeria that the new administration must look into.
However,in spite of this obvious lacuna,Iba Gani Adams has been doing a yeoman’s job, bridging the gap between Nigeria and the Thailand investors.
He is also extending his business network to other countries by promoting Nigeria and laundering the image of the country.
While assuring the investors of their safety and telling them that Nigeria is safe for them to do their various businesses,he gave hope that Nigeria can regain the lost glory.
For me,there are several lessons to be learned from the Thai investors’ visit.One of the lessons we can learn from the visit is that we must do our best to redeem the bad image of the country.
We must also accommodate new ideas, new strategies that could add value to the overall interest of the country.
Another important lesson that is worthy of learning is that the new administration of President Bola Tinubu must be ready to strengthen the bond between Nigeria and other countries of the world.
This will also help in preparing the ground for a sustainable business roadmap that will boost bilateral trade between Nigeria and the global community.
Meanwhile,President of the Thai-Nigeria Trade Association and leader of the team of the Thailand investors,Dr. Chamnanpaisarn Vorrakorn,said the visit to Nigeria was amazing, insisting that the various opportunities provided by Iba Gani Adams is an eye-opener on the various businesses in Nigeria.
Vorrakorn restated the need for key stakeholders of the Thai-Nigeria business communities to be committed to the goals of the business initiative.
Going by the present situation in the country, the President of the Senate,Godswill Akpabio had last week toed the same path with Iba Gani Adams when he told the world that Nigeria is now save for the foreign investors.
In conclusion, Senator Akpabio knows for a fact that in Africa, Nigeria remains the best place for foreign investors to invest and drive the nation’s economy.
That is why it is very important for the new administration to support the initiative that can boost foreign investment and place Nigeria in its pride of place among the comity of nations.
Kehinde Aderemi writes from Lagos
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