Lagos — A group of investors from Argentina are in Nigeria to explore partnership with local investors and also source independent investment opportunities in the Nigerian vast agricultural sector.

The investors, who were in Lagos yesterday, to meet with various stakeholders, also visited Managing Director of the Bank of Industry (BoI), Ms Evelyn Oputu.

They are already talking with a number of corporate organisations and states, including Nasarawa, Bauchi and Lagos, on the area of deployment of technology for large scale farming.

Lagos State Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Mr Wale Raji, told THISDAY that the investors were meeting with the organised private sector in Lagos today to further explore common grounds for partnership.

The trip was facilitated by the Nigerian Ambassador to Argentina, Mr Empire Kanu.

Kanu told BoI officials that the investors were among leading agricultural and allied industry engineers in Argentina, with strong reputation for large scale agriculture and agro processing projects, which they engage in for local consumption and export.

The investors were said to have their expertise in the manufacturing, use, handling and maintenance of various agricultural and allied equipment, such as mixers, planters, tractors, silos and sprayers among others.

Leader of the investors, Mr Luis Colombres, said, "we want to invest in Nigeria and also do business with Nigerians. We manufacture various agricultural and allied equipment and also train people on the usage. When we bring the equipment in Nigeria for instance, we also train farmers on their applications"

Oputu commended the investors for their interest in Nigeria and promised to support local investors that enter into genuine partnership with them, but urged them to work with local organisations that demonstrate capacity for the business and also have track records as businessmen.