Jonathan Zooms To London, Returns Sunday

President Goodluck Jonathan will be in London on Thursday to attend a meeting with some key investment advisers in the United Kingdom, a statement issued by the presidency has revealed.

According to the statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, the President is expected to “preside over a meeting of Nigeria’s Honorary International Investment Council, HIIC, which opens in the British capital on Friday.”

Abati explained that the council “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.”

He further disclosed that, “President Jonathan will be accompanied to the meeting by key ministers including the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr 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, Aliko Dangote, Jim Ovia, Umaru Mutallab, some state governors and the Chairmen of the National Assembly Committees on Transport,” Abati added.

The HIIC was established in 2004.

At Friday’s meeting, focus would be 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.