Nigeria will boost incentives for foreign investors in an attempt to address a decline in capital coming into the country as part of the government’s plans to revive the economy.
The administration in Abuja will introduce measures to eliminate double taxation and allow speedy remittances of foreign money, Doris Uzoka-Anite, the minister of industry, trade and investment, said in an interview late Saturday in Riyadh.
“We have the free-trade zones where they can situate their businesses, export and import their raw materials without any taxes,” she said. She called it a “strong incentive” for foreign direct investment, which plunged 52% to $698 million in the six years through 2021.
Since taking office in May, President Bola Tinubu has instituted reforms to revive Africa’s biggest economy from almost a decade of decline. They include scrapping a $10 billion annual fuel subsidy and liberalizing the foreign-exchange market, which led to a more than 40% devaluation in the naira.
Nigeria has also been reviewing its bilateral agreements with countries to drum up investment. In September, it entered into several agreements with India that could see companies set up auto and steel factories in Africa’s top oil producer. A number of investors from India have begun to make their commitments tangible, Uzoka-Anite said.
Key is to show investors their money will be protected, she said. The minister was in Saudi Arabia as part of a Nigerian delegation meeting officials in the Gulf country after the two established a business council and joint chamber of commerce, industry, mines and agriculture. “We’re very keen on making sure that the investments happen very quickly,” she said.
Ruth Olurounbi, Bloomberg
