Minister Commends Akwa Ibom for Creating Enabling Environment for Investment

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Silva, has commended Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, for creating an enabling environment for foreign investments to thrive in the state.

The Minister, who stated this during his stop over at the Akwa Ibom State exhibition stand at the ongoing Nigeria International Petroleum Summit holding at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, also acknowledged the proactive engagements of the Udom Emmanuel administration, which have made the state conducive for multinational companies and other investors.

Chief Sylvia who commended the state for its huge contribution to the national revenue purse, noted that with its vast deposit of hydrocarbons, Akwa Ibom State, like other oil producing states of the Niger Delta region, remain key in the global energy transition agenda.

The Minister said the state’s participation in the International Petroleum Summit was a worthwhile venture that will make Akwa Ibom more visible to the major industry players in the energy sector at the global level.

‘I must commend Akwa Ibom State for this. We must participate in the industry and resources that are in abundance in our territory. I am happy that you are setting the stage for the international community to see the state. This is the right way to go. This is something that other states should emulate’, the Minister said.

Welcoming the Minister to Akwa Ibom State stand, the Commissioner for Power and Petroleum Development, Dr. John James Etim, who is the head of Akwa Ibom State delegation to the Summit, informed Chief Silva and other members of the Minister’s delegation, which included top industry executives from Nigerian corporations and International Oil Companies, that Akwa Ibom State is a one stop destination of choice for business, offering very attractive opportunities for investment, wealth creation and leisure.

The Commissioner informed the Minister’s delegation that the state Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, had gone beyond round tables and other engagements with foreign investors to create strategic infrastructure needed to support investments in the state.

He emphasized that the personal profile of Governor Emmanuel as a reputable international investment expert, coupled with the state’s massive investment in infrastructure as well as the peaceful and hospitable nature of Akwa Ibom people, have endeared the state to investors as the preferred investment destination in the country.

Meanwhile the Akwa Ibom State exhibition stand at the Nigeria International Petroleum Summit has continued to remain the centre of attraction, with industry players in the oil and gas sectors from Europe, America, Asia and other African countries expressing their willingness to visit and explore the investment opportunities in the state.