USAID Urges Industry Leaders to Heighten Investment in Infrastructure 

Nume Ekeghe and Oluchi Chibuzor

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has urged industry leaders to boost their investments in infrastructure, emphasising its significance in fostering inclusive growth and development. 

USAID convened industry leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs for a one-day conference to reinforce the importance of infrastructure investment in Nigeria and showcase investment opportunities in strategic sectors.

The conference, themed: “Investing in Development,” showed that private sector investment in infrastructure is a vital pathway to achieving the Government of Nigeria’s development objectives across key sectors in Nigeria.  How Nigeria grows, advances, and develops going forward relies on infrastructure investments. 

Through the two-year USAID-funded activity, Mobilising Institutional Investment for Infrastructure Development in Nigeria, also known as INVEST, USAID will build the capacity of the institutional investor community in Nigeria. Implemented in Nigeria by investment bank Chapel Hill Denham, INVEST will galvanize private sector investments in infrastructure to support the country’s resilience to shocks and drive economic growth and development.

During the event, Chief Executive Officer of Chapel Hill Denham, Bolaji Balogun, emphasised the importance of involving professionals in delivering key infrastructural projects across various sectors of the economy.

Balogun called on the incoming government to prioritise infrastructure investment, as it serves as a foundation for transforming agriculture, improving manufacturing capabilities, enhancing education, and even bolstering security measures.

Acting USAID/Nigeria Mission Director, at the conference said: “The INVEST activity and the partnership between USAID and Chapel Hill Denham will attract investments that will create jobs, improve infrastructure, and drive progress in key sectors of the Nigerian economy. Our discussions today will impact how we can work together to enable low-carbon and resilient infrastructure in Africa.”  

Furthermore, the Chief Executive Officer, InfraCo, Lazarus Angbazo noted that the Presidential Infrastructure funds would continue to focus on development, construction, and operation by committing Naira equity in each of these areas. 



For the Group Chief Executive Officer, AFEX, Ayodeji Balogun, he said: “The best thing that has happened to agriculture is the talents that have chosen to participate in solving the solutions in the space.

On his part, Managing Director, Sahel Capital,  Mezuo Nwuneli said:  “We need to be very aware that it is critical to invest in agricultural infrastructure to ensure we have the right food ecosystem, the right pricing system- but there is a good investment opportunity there but  it is a long term economic and political stability.”