Taraba State Governor Kefas Agbu led his team to Abuja to woo the diplomatic and international community to take advantage of the vast opportunities in the state by attending it's forthcoming international investment summit with the view to investing in the state.
Addressing members of the Diplomatic Community in Nigeria on Monday in Abuja about the summit tagged "Taravest 2025, Taraba International Investment Summit" the Governor highlighted the state's untapped potentials specifically in the areas of agriculture, mining, energy and tourism among others.
"To equip you with Taraba's untapped potentials and the structure of the summit. To inspire your confidence in our security, infrastructure, and business environment.
Lastly, to enlist your support in rallying investors, technical partners, and development agencies from your respective countries.
"Taravest 2025 is our theme, Unlocking Taraba's Investment Potentials, Advancing Agriculture, Energy, Mineral, and Industrialization for Sustainable Growth. The event, as earlier mentioned, will take place on the 21st of May 2025 at the banquet hall, Government House, Jalingo. This event matters to us because it is the cornerstone of the President's Renewable Agenda.
"The engagement is designed to convert federal interventions into tangible projects, jobs, and enduring partnerships. Your Excellencies, please allow me to highlight five strategic advantages that make Taraba uniquely investable.
One, the area of peace and security. Under our Strategic Security Council, Taraba has recorded zero major incidents in over two years. Two, agriculture. We have over 44,000 km2 of arable land that are ideal for rice, maize, cassava, and other specialized crops.
"Three, energy. We have unparalleled hydropower potentials on the River Benue and solar mini-grids all over the 168 walls in Taraba State.
"Four, mining. We are rich, and we have rich reserves of gold,, limestone, lithium ore, and so many others that will be given to you in due course.
"Five, digital economy and tourism. We have an emerging ICT hub and world-class attractions like our National Park. At the Taravest, you will experience action-oriented panels, policy incentives, PPP frameworks, and priority projects that will be assigned to you. Also, there are guided site visits, which involves modern farms, exploration zones, and other newly remodeled facilities. Six, the structure of the Summit,, that is business-to-governent matchmaking, and business-to-business matchmaking.
This will be a one-on-one meeting to negotiate MOUs and joint venture agreements.
"The purpose of this is for investors to gain direct access to decision-makers, clarify regulators' requirements, and discuss public-private partnership opportunities. Also, to facilitate joint venture talks, supply chain linkages, technology transfer, and co-investment arrangements.
"I want to assure you that we have coordinated with the state security services, the Nigerian military, the Nigerian police, and our traditional rulers and other local security apparatus to guarantee your safety throughout the period of your stay. In the area of logistics and accommodation for those that will decide to stay back, we have chartered flights to Jalingo.
"We have reserved conference rate hotels and 24-hour protocol support, so you have no fear at all. In incentive framework for investors, our recently enacted Investment Incentives Act offers tax holidays, duty waivers, and land-use rebates. This is fully transparent, when investors look at all the available incentives, they make decisions alongside with those that will be saddled with that responsibility.
"To ensure a seamless follow-through, we want to ask each Embassy to submit names of investors and technical delegates that are expected to participate on or before 16th of May, so that we can facilitate further details," Governor Kefas Agbu admonished.
Also, in his remarks, the Chairman of the Main Summit Planning Committee, Rt. Hon. Godwin Elumelu, assured the diplomatic community that measures have been put in place to ensure their safety and transparency in doing business in the state.
"The Governor will be talking to you to let you know the legal and regulatory framework protecting foreign investors in Taraba State, marrying the law of Nigeria vis-a-vis also the law passed by Taraba State House of Assembly and accepted by the government.
"The other one will be tax incentives. What will be there for the intended investors? What are those incentives in terms of tax relief that will be accruable to them if and when they decide to invest in Taraba State? "
Earlier, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Maitama Tuggar who was represented by Abm. Anderson Madueke, assured the diplomatic community that Taraba State is indeed investment destination.
"I wish to commend His Excellency and indeed they government of Taraba State for convening this timely summit, particularly at this time when the whole world is in need of creating a travelling doing investment climate through cooperation.
"There is, therefore, the need forsector you are partnership between governments, private sector players, civil societies. ThisI significant gathering, therefore, reflects our collective pursuit of development and prosperity, not only for Taraba State, but indeed for the whole world."