Emmanuel Thomas
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has assured the international community that their investments are safe in the state.
Ambode gave the assurance when France Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Denys Gauer and the South Africa Consul General, Ambassador Mokgethi Monaisa paid him separate courtesy calls in Alausa.
He assured the visitors that Lagos is expanding its frontiers to accommodate investors willing to set up their businesses in the state.
“I know that Lagos is also a major commerce city and we have not done enough to attract bilateral trade and relationship with most of the French speaking countries. So it gladdens my heart that the Ambassador is here today”.
“On our part, we’ve decided that we are going to expand relationship with our neighbours and other nations and that’s why we decided to set up an Office of Overseas Affairs and Investments to be able to establish once and for all a permanent structure that allows us to have good trading, economic opportunities and relationship with all our neighbours and other nations.
“I am excited that beyond the 50 companies that you have in Lagos, France is deeply interested in having more economic presence here and when we talk of economic presence, we are actually referring to Lagos. I am excited that Tafoo is planning to set up malls in Lagos as quickly as possible, I am excited that Societe General Bank is coming back and also majority of the French companies are trying to ensure that they have a place in Lagos,” he said.
Ambode assured investors that the government will create an enabling environment for their businesses to thrive, noting that opportunities abound in the area of public transportation and security.
The France Ambassador to Nigeria said France is interested in Lagos as the economic capital of Nigeria as well as West Africa.
He said that more French companies are considering establishing their presence in Lagos as well as partner the state government on infrastructural development.
“The French community in Nigeria, the greatest part of it is in Lagos not in Abuja and especially our companies are all present here in Lagos. We have more than 50 offices of big French companies all established here in Lagos and more are coming”.
He said that the French Development Company are currently partnering the state in the financing of certain projects as it relates to city planning, public transportation and waste management while it hopes to expand the scope in the nearest future.
