Vice-President Kashim Shettima, on Thursday commended the multi-million-dollar investment portfolio by an African agribusiness conglomerate, Export Trading Group (ETG), in Nigeria.
Shettima made the commendation when he received on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, a delegation from the ETG led by its Global Chief Operating Officer, Mr Niren Murugan.
The vice-president assured that the ongoing reforms by the administration of President Bola Tinubu would guarantee the company’s investments.
He said the company’s interests across agro-logistics, fertiliser systems, seeds production and industrial processing, among others, were commendable and fully aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Tinubu.
” You have been in the country since 2010, but this time around, you have decided to play a more active role in Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.
” This is where the action is. We have the population and abundance of resources for your investments to thrive.
“All your investment decisions are wonderful. I am particularly thrilled by your interventions especially in seed development, oil processing, fertilizer blending, and agricultural extension services, among others.
” I commend the efforts of your team in Nigeria in the selection of locations for the proposed Centres of Excellence,” he stated.
The vice-president urged the company to explore the abundant opportunities across the country to expand its stakes in the country’s agricultural value chain, particularly in boosting food production.
Earlier, ETG’s Global COO, Murugan, said his visit was to inform the vice-president of the company’s investment portfolio in Nigeria.
He also said that he was at the presidential villa to seek high-level alignment, secure government guidance and accelerate coordination with stakeholders in the public sectors across all levels.
Murugan announced the take-off of the company’s expanded multi-million-dollar oil processing facility in Sagamu Ogun State by the second quarter of 2026.
He disclosed that the proposed investment pipelines in fertilizer blending, seed production and integrated agro-logistics, among others.
Murugan revealed plans to establish Centres of Agro-Excellence in seven states of Kaduna, Ebonyi, Cross River, Ekiti, Jigawa, Nasarawa and Borno.
According to him, the centres will serve as regional hubs for the provision of inputs, mechanisation, storage, and primary processing, among others.
On his part, Gov. Bassey Otu of Cross River, expressed the state’s readiness to collaborate with the conglomerate to harness the vast agricultural potentials of the state.
He said the state government had on its part carried sweeping reforms aimed at not only boosting agricultural productivity, but in building a sub-national economy that serves the rest of the country and gives the state an edge in revenue generation and food production.
Otu also spoke about the Cross River Government’s vision to attract investments in port facilities, particularly the Bakassi Deep Seaport and Calabar Port projects.
He said, ” We can match your vision end-to-end. We have the land, the mineral resources and the enabling environment to make it happen,” the Governor assured the company.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)