The European Union (EU) has committed to helping Nasarawa State diversify its economy by focusing on energy, innovation, and agriculture, among other areas.
During her formal visit to Governor Abdullahi Sule at Government House, Lafia, EU Ambassador to Nigeria Samuela Isopi made the commitment.
She stated that the Union is already working in various regions of the state with other partners in the fields of education, renewable energy, rural electrification, and rice production, among other things. However, she added, “We can work together in multidimensional areas to support the state.”
According to the ambassador, the EU will head a sizable delegation of investors by 2024 in an effort to boost capital inflows into the nation.
“For a more robust partnership, we will visit your state again in early 2024 with a larger delegation that includes the private sector players,” she declared.
She clarified that strengthening ties with the state administration was the goal of the visit to Nasarawa State.
Governor Sule responded by thanking the EU Ambassador for coming and pointing out the many similarities between Nigeria and Europe.
He declared that the state government welcomed investments in solid mineral development, with a focus on lithium, as well as in renewable energy, oil and gas, and agriculture.
In addition to substantial minerals, he noted, the state is a well-known centre for agriculture that welcomes investment.
The governor emphasised that the state leads the nation in sesame output and that several investors are already expressing interest in processing sesame.
He revealed that the first saseme seed processing plant will be located in the state in 2019.
In order to move up to the top three producers in the nation, he said, the state was investigating the full value chain in yam production in addition to improving its existing fifth-place standing in rice production.
