by Laila Ibrahim

President Goodluck Jonathan will be in London, UK on Thursday evening to preside over a meeting of Nigeria’s Honorary International Investment Council (HIIC) which opens the next day.

The HIIC which was established in 2004 advises the Federal Government on matters pertaining to Nigeria’s economic development, making the Nigerian economy more competitive globally and attracting greater direct foreign investment to boost domestic industrial growth and job creation.

According to a statement by Reuben Abati, the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, deliberations at the HIIC meeting in London will focus on the current investment landscape in Nigeria, developments and opportunities in the ongoing upgrade and expansion of Nigeria’s public infrastructure, as well as opportunities and reforms in Nigeria’s rail transportation, power and construction sectors.

President Jonathan will be accompanied to the meeting by key ministers including the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga; the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo; the Minister of Defence, Gen Aliyu Gusau (rtd.) and the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar.

They will be joined at the meeting by the Coordinator of the HIIC, Baroness Lynda Chalker and other key members of the Council including Haruki Hayashi of the Mitsubishi Corporation, Yves Louis Darricarrere of Total, Andy Brown of Shell, Guillame Roux of Larfarge, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Jim Ovia, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, some state governors and the Chairmen of the National Assembly Committees on Transport.

The President will be back in Abuja on Sunday.

Isime Esene