The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the Chairman of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and other industry leaders have said that Edo state has been positioned with the potential to become a first world economy on account of its growth trajectory in the past seven years.
They noted that at the backdrop of the reforms to attract investments, the Edo state's economy has recorded a growth rate of 140 percent to $25.8billion from $10.6billion at the inception of the present administration in the state.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Alaghodaro Economic Summit Ltd/Gte, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, in his address at the summit, disclosed that the investments attracted through the Alaghodaro Summit alone in the past seven years is put at $4 billion, noting that the State can drag Nigeria out of its untapped potential, re-directing the nation to a point of development.
The Alaghodaro Summit is organised annually by the Edo State Government, in partnership with the private sector, to mark the anniversary of Governor Godwin Obaseki in office and showcase the progress being recorded in transforming the State into an investment haven.
This year's summit has the theme, "The Edo Story: Creating Shared Opportunities into the Future."
Speaking at the summit, Dangote said Edo State has comparative advantage over every other State in the area of agriculture and agro-processing as well as culture and tourism, noting that the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration has repositioned the State, leveraging its comparative advantage to drive growth and development across all sectors.
Aliko, who was the keynote speaker at the 2023 Alaghodaro Investment Summit, commended the governor for his government's business-friendly reforms that have continued to spur the influx of investors into the State.
Dangote who was represented by the Dangote Group's Managing Director, Mr. Olakunle Alake, said the safety and security as well as reforms in the agriculture and tourism sectors have repositioned Edo State as a tourist hub and investors' haven.
Meanwhile, Obaseki had noted that the government focused on six thematic pillars including institutional reforms, economic revolution, social welfare, infrastructure development, environmental sustainability and arts and culture, noting that the bold reforms have positively impacted the lives of millions of Edo people, placing the State on the path of sustainable and accelerated growth and development.
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He also said that Edo has the potential to produce 70 percent of Nigeria's imported products and reduce the burden on Foreign Exchange (Forex), said his government has attracted investments in agriculture, manufacturing, retail, health, arts and culture, tourism and hospitality, among other sectors.
