By Abdul-Kadir Abdullah
The Edo State government and the South African government have agreed on the importance of exploring ways to revitalize and strengthen their bilateral relations with representatives from both governments meeting in Benin City to discuss potential collaborations across various sectors.
The South Africa’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Professor Bobby J. Moroe led his team to meet with Mr. Amen Odigie, Managing Director of the Edo State Investment Promotion Office (ESIPO) and Ease of Doing Business Secretariat, and his team at ESIPO’s premises on Monday, February 10, 2025, with the aim of facilitating collaborations.
During the meeting, Ambassador Moroe emphasized the importance of rekindling the long-standing relationship between Nigeria and South Africa. He noted ESIPO’s role in facilitating communications between the government and private sector, suggesting a more coordinated approach to leveraging opportunities between the two sub-nationals.
According to him, “We are focusing on key areas such as technology, agro-processing, tourism, and hospitality. We want to explore how we can capitalize on the opportunities within these sectors.”
He also extended an invitation for Edo State to participate in the upcoming South Africa Week in Lagos in April, 2025, suggesting a cultural performance by an Edo cultural group and opportunities to connect with South African businesses operating in Nigeria.
The Managing Director, Edo State Investment Promotion Office (ESIPO), Mr. Amen Odigie in his response, highlighted the numerous possibilities for collaboration, especially given Nigeria’s position as the largest economy in Africa.
He reiterated that, “As a state, we are interested in collaboration within the aforementioned sectors. Mining is another sector we believe we have to offer because, Edo state has a lot of untapped solid minerals. We have Gold, Lithium, Bitumen, Granite, Limestone, Dolomite and so many other mineral resources. So, we really want to tap into these opportunities. We have been given the mandate to bring investors into this space to develop the state. And for us, in this administration, along with agriculture and other sectors, mining sector is also key and I know South Africa is big on mining”.
He emphasized the Edo State government’s focus on technology transfer, entrepreneurship training for the state’s large youth population (approximately 68%).
“As a state, we are interested in human capital development. We want to be able to create opportunities for our youths, developing training programmes in collaboration with South African institutions to build capacity in numerous sectors; technology inclusive, thereby taking the youths out of unemployment. ESIPO and the Edo State government assure you of our full collaboration. Edo State is rich in opportunities and we are open for business.” Mr.Odigie noted.
Following the meeting with ESIPO, Ambassador Moroe and his team also engaged with the Benin Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BENCCIMA) and heads of other government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). He expressed his commitment to working with Edo State on a clearly defined action plan with specific timelines.
