By Peter Okolie
President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, said a focused state-by-state economic strategy is central to achieving long-term stability and prosperity for the nation.
Tinubu said this at the Imo Economic Summit 2025, held in Owerri, on Thursday.
The theme of the summit is “Unlocking Imo’s Economic Potential: Partnership, Investment and Innovation”.
The president, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said that the Federal Government’s far-reaching economic reforms were designed to support individual states in unlocking opportunities within high-growth sectors, from digital infrastructure to special agro-processing zones.
“There is no greater accelerator of national growth than to stir each state towards its comparative advantage,” he said.
He commended Gov. Hope Uzodimma for his economic strategy, transformational and visionary leadership, aimed at transforming the state through the summit.
The president further lauded Uzodimma’s development of digital infrastructure, and the partnership in the transport, housing and renewable energy.
According to him, Imo has tremendous opportunities to explore high growth sectors, including the free trade and special agro processing zones, to accelerate value creation in the state.
He said: “We see expanded gas utilisation to power industries and households to guarantee affordability and reliability.
“All these possibilities converge to remind us that Imo is not just ready for investment but prime for transformation.
“The Federal Government stands ready to support Imo in these investment area.
“Our role is to work with you to unlock opportunities to these promising ventures and ensure that the benefits of these investments are felt in communities.”
Tinubu also said that the Federal Government was already implementing programmes that empower young innovators to expand their digital skills.
“This is a nation waiting to unleash her potential,” he said, while urging investors to invest, not just in Imo, but in the country.
In his address of welcome, the governor said that “IMO” stands for Investment Meets Opportunities.
He also said that through Tinubu’s intentional reform policies, the general investment environment in the country had become clement.
He said the removal of fuel subsidy, strategic harmonisation of the foreign exchange market, market liberalisation, and fiscal stability, have created a fertile environment for the private sector to thrive.
“The national momentum is the backdrop for our own initiative and reinforces our drive for a One billion US Dollars economy, which is synchronised in the Federal Government’s agenda of revival and renewal,” he said.