NIPC Decries Funding Constraints

The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Alhaji Mustapha Bello, on Monday in Abuja, decried the commission’s poor state of funding and said it needed N2bn annually.

Bello told  newsmen that the commission was not funded in 2010, saying that lack of funds to create awareness and attract the needed investment was the major challenge the commission faced.

He said that the commission had to rely on the support of the private sector to fund most of its programmes and activities.

Bello said, “We have used the private sector so much since I came in here, but it appears they are getting tired and they are becoming fatigued.

“We need government to seriously look into the need to fund NIPC. What NIPC is looking for annually actually is not up to N2bn to do a lot.”

He said that the commission could use the money to embark on massive campaigns and to address the challenges posed to the country’s image by the activities of fraudsters.

“This will actually bring this country to a level that everyone will know what Nigeria is,” he said.