The Enugu State Government has intensified efforts to attract foreign investment through a proposed Enugu State–United Arab Emirates (UAE) Investment Corridor, following a meeting between a state government delegation and officials of the UAE Embassy in Abuja.
The Special Adviser to Governor Peter Mbah on Investment Strategy and Public Relations, Prince Humphrey Onyima, led the engagement during a visit to the embassy, where he was received by the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Salem Saeed Al Shamsi, alongside Mr Saif Al Katheeri, Head of the Embassy’s Economic and Political Section, and another diplomatic official.
Discussions focused on establishing a structured economic partnership between Enugu State and the UAE, particularly in investment, development finance, aviation, technology, infrastructure, logistics and commercial activities.
Onyima explained that the proposed investment corridor would connect Enugu State with major commercial centres in the UAE, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, creating opportunities for investors, financial institutions and development partners to explore viable projects in the state.
A major outcome of the meeting was the ambassador’s indication that the embassy could facilitate a high-level visit to Enugu State by prospective private-sector investors, business operators and relevant institutions.
“We can invite some private sector to visit the Governor and see the opportunities in Enugu State,” Ambassador Al Shamsi told the delegation.
The proposed visit is expected to provide an opportunity for UAE representatives and potential investors to meet Governor Peter Mbah, learn about the state’s development priorities and assess selected investment opportunities.
The engagement could also facilitate discussions on the commercial, technical, legal and institutional requirements for translating prospective projects into actual investments.
During the meeting, Ambassador Al Shamsi asked the Enugu delegation to clearly identify the state’s investment priorities and specify the areas where it required support from the UAE.
He assured the delegation that the embassy was open to reviewing the state’s proposals and facilitating engagement with relevant UAE authorities, investment institutions and private-sector operators.
The embassy is expected to consult the appropriate UAE authorities and communicate its feedback to the Enugu State Government.
If successfully developed, the proposed investment corridor could create a framework for stronger economic cooperation, capital inflows, infrastructure development and business partnerships between Enugu State and the UAE.
However, the proposed investor visit and investment corridor remain at the engagement stage, with further consultations and identification of viable projects expected to determine the next steps.
By Enitan Mudashiru | MUK TV News
