The event which had in attendance 15 governors and presidents of some of the largest conglomerates in China was the brain-child of Choice International Group, the sole authorised representative and distributor of GAC Motors and Gree Air conditioners in Nigeria,
Tagged the first Nigeria-China Governors’ Investment Forum and held in Guangzhou, China, the just-concluded two-day event was attended by Governors Samuel Ortom (Benue State), Ifeanyi Okowa, (Delta State), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo State), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano State), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger State), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto State), Kashim Shettima (Borno State), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun State) and Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari (Zamfara State). The deputy governors of Anambra and Ebonyi states were also in attendance.
The Vice Mayor of Guangzhou, Cai Chaolin, President of GAC Group, Zeng Qinghong; President of Choice International Group, Diana Chan; Chief Executive Officer of Del-York International Linus Idahosa and many other leaders of Fortune 500 Companies from China graced the event.
The governors and their teams visited the 121st Canton Fair in Guangzhou where their eyes were opened to funding opportunity to develop new markets for Nigerian products and services, procure machinery and explore a partnership.
Major deals were sealed at the event. A document made available to the Nation yesterday shows that Abia brokered a $1.5 billion deal for the establishment of a shoe industry in Aba, with the Huajian Shoe Industry in Dongguan, Guangzhou, China. Known as the Abia State-Huajian Shoe Industrial City, it will be located in Aba and will have the capacity to produce 5,000 shoes per day and employ about 10,000 people directly and indirectly. The Abia State government will provide the land and other investment incentives for the project, while the Huajian Group will fund the project.
Delta State sealed a deal with major manufacturing companies in China to boost mechanised farming in the state.
The President of fashion giant, Miniso Group, Mr. Yu Guofu, said his organisation is interested in opening hundreds of shop outlets as well as a world-class University in Nigeria.
“This investment has a prospect of generating at least 20,000 employment opportunities across Nigeria. Miniso is one of the fastest growing retail chain businesses in the world,” said a statement made available to the Nation.
Chaolin said Nigeria as Africa’s largest economy and Guangzhou could help each other in manufacturing, agriculture, cultural exchanges and infrastructure development. Chaolin noted that there was vast potential for cooperation between the two countries. Find more details on the event on Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission.
