MON AUG 03 2026-theGBJournal| At the opening of the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit 2026 in Asaba on Monday, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori announced that the state government had set aside US $100 million as Viability Gap Funding to de-risk strategic private sector investments, describing the initiative as a major step towards converting investment commitments into bankable projects.
Oborevwori explained that the initiative followed investment promotion missions undertaken by the state to China and Brazil in 2025, aimed at attracting strategic global partnerships.
The governor said Delta, with an estimated economy valued at about ₦17 trillion, remained one of Nigeria’s most attractive investment destinations because of its abundant natural resources, improving infrastructure, sound fiscal management and investor-friendly policies.
He disclosed that the state had introduced tax incentives, including waivers on tenement rates, levies and other charges for up to five years, while establishing an Ease of Doing Business Council to simplify investment processes.
According to him, over 12,000 hectares of land have been earmarked for commercial agriculture, while the state’s 163-kilometre coastline road presents enormous opportunities in the blue economy.
Oborevwori also highlighted investment prospects in gas-fired power plants, renewable energy, solar farms and mini-grid infrastructure, assuring investors that Delta remained financially stable, secure and debt-free under his administration.
He noted that the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources had recognised Delta as Nigeria’s Safest State for Oil and Gas Investments in 2024.
In her keynote address, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, urged Delta State to leverage on global supply chain realignments, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Nigeria’s economic reforms to position itself as the country’s next industrial growth hub.
Saying that she is “a Delta State optimist”, she said the state’s natural gas reserves, seaports, rail connectivity, fertile agricultural land, skilled workforce and fiscal discipline placed it in a strong position to compete with established commercial centres.
Okonjo-Iweala advised the state government to concentrate investments in strategic sectors, including the Delta Special Economic Zone, agro-processing, blue economy, oil and gas value addition, marine logistics and digital infrastructure, while investing in artificial intelligence and digital connectivity to prepare young people for the future.
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