The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) has appointed Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State as the Vice President of the council.
The announcement is contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Habib Aruna on Sunday.
It said the appointment was announced by the Chief Executive Officer of CWEIC, Mr Oliver Everett at a meeting between CWEIC and a group of Nigerian businessmen at Ikeja.
CWEIC is an interest group established to promote trade and investment by facilitating engagement between government and the private sector throughout the Commonwealth.
The statement said that Ambode would be in office alongside Mr Jeffrey Mountevans, the Lord Mayor of the City of London as Co-Vice President of the Council for the next one year.
The statement noted that Everett was in Nigeria to talk to small business owners on investment opportunities in Commonwealth nations, especially Europe.
It said the appointment of Ambode was a major pointer to the fact that Nigeria and indeed Lagos was open for real and serious investment.
The statement quoted Everett as saying “Nigerians in the UK were the fourth largest spenders, as there was already a huge market for Nigerian goods in the UK.’’
Everett adviced business owners to avoid production of sugary drinks as lots of people in Europe preferred natural drinks.
“In terms of investment, there is huge interest in Nigeria at the moment.
“I think it is well known that there are a number of challenges for investors over many years, because of lack of confidence about where money invested in Nigeria may end up.
“That maybe true and it may not be true, but we all know as business people that perception is sometimes a reality.
“And with the perception that money would not necessarily end up where it ought to, many investors avoided Nigeria.
“That is why the crackdown on corruption by the President Buhari has made a huge difference to that perception and there is now a great willingness for investors to come to Nigeria,” Everett said.
