Bauchi State Government Woos Igbo Investors, Organises Enugu Roadshow to Showcase Investment Potential

 

Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, has extended a strong invitation to the business community in Nigeria’s South-East, urging them to consider the vast and largely untapped investment potential in his state. His message comes ahead of the upcoming Bauchi State Economic and Investment Summit, scheduled for October 8 and 9, 2025.

At a high-level business forum held in Enugu, the governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Aminu Hammayo, highlighted key achievements and opportunities that make Bauchi an ideal destination for investors. He underscored the state's strategic moves over the past six years, which he said had focused on upgrading critical infrastructure and laying the groundwork for sustainable economic growth.

Rather than simply pitching opportunities, the presentation was built around a broader vision of mutual economic benefit. Hammayo conveyed the governor’s emphasis on collaboration, noting that Bauchi is not just open to investment, but also structured to offer high returns, particularly in sectors such as agriculture, mining, livestock production, renewable energy, and other resource-based ventures.

Governor Mohammed’s address pointed to the state’s demographic advantage, citing a population exceeding 10 million and a growing middle class that provides a strong domestic market for goods and services. These characteristics, he explained, are especially favorable for business expansion and long-term investment returns.

He urged business leaders to take advantage of a more interconnected global economy, where regions like Bauchi offer natural resources and investment-ready sectors, while partners from the South-East and beyond contribute expertise, funding and technological capabilities. According to him, this balanced exchange of value would benefit all sides.

The theme of the upcoming summit, “Rebuilding a Resilient Economy; Optimizing Investment & Partnerships,” speaks to this intent. Stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, along with local and international investors, are expected to converge at the event in Bauchi to explore partnerships and showcase viable projects.

Beyond presentations, the Summit promises to include exhibitions, matchmaking platforms and plenary sessions, all geared toward drawing real investment into the state. Officials explained that one of the main goals is to onboard new investors through Memoranda of Understanding and the establishment of joint venture models, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The event in Enugu also featured remarks from prominent figures in the South-East business landscape, many of whom expressed strong interest in Bauchi’s development strategy and investment climate.

Professor Chinedu Nebo, former Minister of Power and chairman of the session, praised the governor’s outreach to the South-East, calling it a clear display of visionary leadership. He described the move as strategic, noting that any Nigerian state aiming to grow economically must align itself with the South-East, given its long-standing reputation for entrepreneurship and trade.

Nebo emphasized that the responsibility of building a robust industrial base does not lie solely with the government. Instead, he pointed to the organised private sector as the true engine of growth and innovation. Commending Bauchi for positioning itself as a business-friendly environment, he specifically pointed to the mining sector as one of many compelling investment frontiers.

Representatives from the South-East Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (SECCIMA) echoed this enthusiasm. The President, Mr. Humphrey Ngonadi, represented by SECCIMA’s Director General, Dr. Daniel Ochi, described the presentation by Bauchi State as insightful and encouraging. He promised that the 17 chambers in the South-East region would be mobilized to attend and explore investment possibilities at the October summit.

Dr. Ochi also emphasized the strength of the business community across the region, with Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) being the largest and most influential. He noted that this partnership has the potential to spark new industrial and commercial collaborations that would benefit both regions.

Also present at the event were other key business stakeholders, including Mr. Odega Jideonwo, President of ECCIMA, and Dr. Ifedi Okwena, Executive Secretary of the South-East Business and Investment Summit. Their presence lent further weight to the growing momentum around the Bauchi investment drive.

As the countdown to the Summit continues, the message from Bauchi is clear: the state is ready for business, and it is looking southward for partnerships built on trust, opportunity and shared prosperity.