The Executive Director, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Mrs Uju Baba said the Commission was partnering with foreign investors to build affordable houses for the poor in the country.
Baba said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja yesterday.
The executive director, who said there was a huge gap in the housing sector in the country, added that the NIPC partnership was with investors from Brazil and Turkey.
She explained that it was the Commission’s pet project to bring in foreign investors into the country, noting that “I am hopeful that by the end of this year, the companies will be in the country. ‘’
The NIPC boss said that the companies were willing to build certain category of houses using a new system that would be affordability for the poor.
She said “we want investors that are sincere enough to come and build houses that the poor can afford and still make their money.’’
The Commission, she added, would monitor the project so that it would not be hijacked by the rich in the society.
“We will monitor the execution of the project because it is our method of trying to support government’s policy. NIPC will not allow any government policy to be hijacked by people who want to make profit at the detriment of the poor.’’
Baba said Nigeria had abundant investment opportunities in priority sectors such as agriculture, power, manufacturing, solid minerals, critical infrastructure, waste management and housing sector.
She added that NIPC was facilitating investments in the country and taking more proactive role as an agent of development.
She noted that the Commission was repositioning itself to attract quality investments in productive sectors and mobilising a supportive business service as provided in the One-Stop Investment Centre.
She explained that the One-Stop Investment Centre was government’s strategy to streamline investment procedures, provide prompt, efficient and transparent services and coordinate investment-facilitating agencies.
The role of the Commission was to ensure that intending investors really invested in the country, she said.
She added that “our role is to ensure that intending investors come back to invest, that is why there is a committee that tracks all potential investors to ensure that they are provided with necessary information.
“We will also give investors contacts of technical ministries in charge of the sectors so that they will be educated on all the technical details of investing in a particular area to enable them to make informed choices.
“NIPC will also be in close contact with investors from pre-establishment to post establishment stage of every project to ensure that progress is sustained and protected.’’