Dr Oyebode Oyetunde, Executive Director of Africa Development Bank, AfDB, has called on investors to embrace the viability of investment opportunities in Ogbomoso which is second largest economy in Oyo State.
Oyetunde while speaking during his goodwill message at the recent Ogbomosho Roadshow, with the theme: Exploring Economic Potentials of Ogbomosoland: Engage Collaborate, and Invest, held in Lagos recently said Ogbomoso has some of the potentials that qualify her for engagement with some of the bank’s programmes.
He highlighted some of the activities of the Bank in promoting Economic Development across Africa and called on the Federal and state governments to take advantage of the reign of Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), to attract meaningful projects to the country, saying that with three years left of Adesina’s stay a lot can be achieved.
He maintained that Adesina’s commitment to agriculture is legendary, just as he highlighted some of the activities of the Bank in promoting Economic Development across Africa.
Professor Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, the Senior Special Adviser to the President of Africa Development Bank in his presentation on the “Special Agric-Industrial Processing Zone as a Key Driver to Economic Development ‘ gave an overview of the SAPZ project by the Bank, stating that the project had started in seven states in the federation including Oyo State and submitted that the effects of the project will be felt all over the state including Ogbomoso.
He called for the private sector to embrace most of the projects of the Africa Development Bank.
Benjamin Onigbinde, the convener of the event who is also the CEO of Sigvent Group, called for more collaboration and partnership in exploring Economic Potentials of Ogbomosoland.
He identified such opportunities to include agriculture processing, medical tourism and hospitality, mining and solid minerals and vehicle transit areas.
He put the investment potential of ogbomoso to be above N100 billion.
Prof. Akintade Dare, CEO of DarexScanView, in his presentation on; Medical Tourism and Hospitality, displayed how technology can transform Medical Service and make a city like Ogbomoso with two standard teaching hospitals a tourist attraction.
Also, Mr. Banji Ojo, head of Consumers Affairs Bureau at the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) emphasised the need for investors to embrace investment opportunities in Ogbomoso, just as he expressed the need to grow the economy through SMEs and development of Ogbomoso Industrial Estate.
Prince Peter Osunbade, Chairman of Olugbon Hotels who spoke from the United Kingdom expressed optimism in the Ogbomoso Investment Climate with emphasis on funding availability, either through collaboration and partnership.
The event also had in attendance among others, Mr. Olalere Babasola, the Executive General Manager, Government Relations at TotalEnergies, Dr. Ogho Okiti (CEO Think Business Africa), Mr. Abel Ajala (former Country Head, Agriculture and Export Finance at Ecobank Transnational) and Engr. Layiwola Adeyemi (CEO, Funman Group
