Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State delivered a keynote address at the 2023 Nigerian-Indonesian Investment and Trade Forum held in Jakarta, Indonesia. During his speech, Governor Mbah urged Indonesian businesses and investors to explore the numerous investment opportunities available in Enugu State. He emphasized the improved business environment and the potential for high returns on investment in the state.

The event, organized by the Nigerian-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) in collaboration with the Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre, Lagos, aimed to foster closer collaboration between Nigeria and Indonesia in boosting trade and investments.

Governor Mbah highlighted the various investment sectors in Enugu State, including agriculture, mineral resources, logistics, aviation, tourism, real estate, and ICT. He emphasized the state's agricultural potential, with fertile land and access to water resources that enable year-round agriculture. Enugu State is well-suited for the production of key crops such as cassava, oil palm, cashew, and various spices. The state also boasts significant deposits of minerals, including oil, natural gas, coal, gold, kaolin, gypsum, clay, and limestone, making it an ideal location for mining and the establishment of key industries.

Governor Mbah expressed his administration's commitment to growing Enugu State's economy from its current value of $4.4 billion to a new level of $30 billion. He emphasized the importance of extensive private sector investment and strong local and international partnerships in achieving this goal. The governor assured the Indonesian government and business community that Enugu State is open for business and encouraged them to explore the investment opportunities available.

Governor Mbah also highlighted the ongoing efforts of his administration to improve the investment and business climate in Enugu State. These efforts include expanding security networks, establishing a functional One Stop Centre for speedy processing of investment interests, undertaking massive urban and rural infrastructural development, creating a land bank for corporate farmers and special agro-processing zones, establishing Free Zones, enacting the Enugu State Electricity Law to promote a free market electric power, and working towards the construction of a Tier 4 Hyper Scale Data Center. These initiatives aim to create a conducive environment for investment and business growth in the state.

The Ambassador of Indonesia to Nigeria, Dr. Usra Harahap, reiterated the readiness of the Indonesian government and business community to strengthen investment and trade ties with Nigeria at both federal and subnational levels. He emphasized the untapped potentials for trade and investment in sectors beyond oil and gas, which present massive opportunities for future development.

Nigeria's Ambassador to Indonesia, Usman Ari Ogah, expressed satisfaction with the progress made in trade volume between the two countries. He highlighted the increase from $2.6 billion to $4.7 billion in less than a year and the target of reaching $6 billion by the end of the year. Ogah emphasized that the balance of trade is in favor of Nigeria.

The organizers of the forum, led by the President of the Nigerian-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Mr. Ishmael Balogun, and the Director of the Indonesia Trade Promotion Centre, Lagos, Mr. Hendro Jonathan Manurund, reaffirmed their commitment to deepening trade and investment relations between Nigeria and Indonesia.

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