Alaghodaro 2021: Dangote, Okomu, Presco Eye Edo Investment Opportunities

Edo Refinery, Ossiomo Power Plant on spotlight

As Edo readies for the Alaghodaro Summit 2021, big-ticket investors including the Dangote Group, Okomu Plc and Presco Plc have declared interest to wholly participate in the summit, leveraging the platform to tap into the investment opportunities created by the business-friendly disposition of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led state government.

The summit, in its fifth edition, is scheduled to take place between November 12 and 14, 2021, with the theme, “Edo of Our Dreams: Building a Sustainable Future.”
The annual summit, to mark the governor’s anniversary in office, showcases investment opportunities in the state and the numerous achievements, reforms and initiatives by the administration to improve the living standard of the people.

Chairman, Marketing and Branding Sub-Commitee, Alaghodaro 2021, Crusoe Osagie, in a statement yesterday said, “Already, top private sector players in the state and across the globe, like Dangote Group, Presco Plc and Okomu Plc, among others, have declared interests in the summit, with plans to leverage the business-friendly environment and the opportunity for exchange of ideas with the private sector created by the state government to tap into Edo’s rich investment opportunities.”

He noted that the state has gotten an avalanche of requests from the organized private sector players, who are poised to clinch vantage positions at the summit to reap from the gains of the conducive-business environment provided by the government.

According to him, “This year’s summit promises to be even more exciting, as it will showcase a number of the transformative policies and programmes by the state government targeted at further easing up the space for private investment and building a productive, efficient and result-driven civil and public service.

“While Okomu and Presco are poised to expand their plantation, Dangote is planning to accelerate its investment in the solid mineral sector, especially with its cement manufacturing plant, which is already operational in the state.

“Governor Obaseki has continued to prioritise inflow of investment into the state with bold and investor-friendly policies, which has resulted in the setting up of a number of industrial plants, including modular refineries, gas processing plants, energy parks, an inland dry port, among others,” Osagie noted.

Also, he said the Edo Modular Refinery, the CCETC-Ossiomo Power Plant, and the Edo Production Centre, among other projects to open up Edo’s industrial sector will be the focal point of this year’s Alaghodaro Summit, as top manufacturers, business owners and other industry stakeholders converge to explore opportunities in the state’s thriving industrial sector.

He added that the Obaseki-led state government has continued to support the state’s manufacturing and industrial sector, ensuring the provision of the right incentives to drive productivity.

“These incentives, as well as reforms and projects like the Edo Modular Refinery, the CCETC-Ossiomo Power Plant, and the Edo Production Centre, among others, to open up the space for private investment in the manufacturing sector, will be brought to the fore at the Alaghodaro Summit 2021.

“The summit will serve as a platform to bring together local and international manufacturers as well as other industry leaders to review and explore opportunities in the sector,” Osagie added.

According to Osagie, “The Alaghodaro Summit, over the years, has created opportunities for more investors to come into the state to tap from the state’s rich investment opportunities, and this year is no exception.

“With the expanding CCETC- Ossiomo Independent Power Plant that has now opened up the electricity market in Edo State to drive industrial growth and attract private investors, and the 1000bpd Edo modular refinery, which is now ready for production, the state is even more positioned to becoming a business destination haven.”

“Also, in the Edo Production Centre, which is now being expanded to the three senatorial districts in the state, we have ensured the provision of a conducive environment for production, with electricity, water, security and other basic infrastructure. This we did to drive industrial development, provide job opportunities for youths and create wealth for our people.”

“We believe that this year’s Alaghodaro will be even more exciting, as we expect the convergence of local and international manufacturers and other industry stakeholders who are eager to leverage these opportunities created by the Obaseki-led state government,” he restated.