Zulum To Investors: Borno Safe, Stable And Ready For Investment

Borno State Governor Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has declared Borno safe, stable, and ready for investment, urging businesses to seize opportunities in agriculture, livestock, fisheries, housing, and infrastructure.

The governor gave the assurance during the private sector engagement and investment roundtables in Kano and Abuja, themed “Mobilising Private Capital for Durable Solutions and Sustainable Development.”

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr Babagana Mustapha Mallumbe, the Kano roundtable at Tahir Guests Place drew about 40 potential investors, while over 50 prospective investors attended the Abuja roundtable.

Supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, GIZ, the European Union, and the German Government, the engagements come after the Lagos roundtable, where Borno secured nine investment commitments.

Governor Zulum told private-sector players that the state was shifting from humanitarian relief to economic recovery, with private investment needed to create jobs and help families rebuild their livelihoods.

“Presently, Borno is safe, stable and open for business. Borno sits at the nexus of the Lake Chad Basin, serving as a natural trade corridor linking Nigeria to Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic,” Zulum said.

He credited the armed forces and other security agencies, including the volunteer forces, with the security gains and said Borno’s location offered businesses access to an underserved regional market with strong demand for goods and services.

The governor identified the state’s vast arable land, livestock potential and solid mineral deposits as opportunities awaiting investment.

“Government creates the enabling environment, but the private sector creates wealth, jobs and lasting prosperity,” he said.

Zulum explained that his administration was investing in skills and human capital under Borno’s 25-year development plan. He said the state’s vocational training centres had produced more than 3,000 graduates, while training in the health sector was also receiving attention.

The governor assured prospective investors that his administration would honour its commitments and support transparent public-private partnerships, particularly in housing, agriculture and other productive sectors.

“We are not here to ask for charity. We are here to present bankable, high-yield and direct investment opportunities for you. Borno is ready. Borno is bankable. We invite you to partner with a government that honours its word,” he added.

Zulum said incentives available to investors included streamlined land acquisition, infrastructure support, industrial clusters and a supportive tax framework.

Chief Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development, Partnerships and Humanitarian Response, Dr Mairo Mandara said Borno is a gateway into a regional economic system of more than 50 million people.

“Borno has moved from emergency to recovery. The task now is to convert recovery into an economy,” Mandara said.

Participants also received briefings on the state’s industrial park, inland dry port and bonded terminal, alongside details of the ease of doing business framework.

UN, EU, Others Lead Partners To Drive Investors To Borno

The United Nations, European Union, German Government and other development partners are supporting efforts to attract private investors to Borno State to create jobs and help displaced families rebuild their livelihoods.

Speaking at the Abuja roundtable, Representative of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Nigeria, Thembekile Dube-Nanbe, encouraged partners to turn the Borno investment roundtable into action.

“Let us identify viable investment opportunities, mobilise capital, establish lasting partnerships, and commit to measurable results,” Dube-Nanbe said.

The EU Head of Human Development, Laila Ben Amor Mathieu, said the Union had stood with Borno through its most difficult years, providing humanitarian assistance and supporting stabilisation and recovery.

“Grants and public budgets alone will not finance recovery at the scale Borno needs. Private capital must play its part, and the role of us partners is to make that possible,” Mathieu said.

She explained that investors could support the proposed Borno State Durable Solutions Trust Fund or pursue commercially viable projects backed by incentives, including access to land, industrial hubs and tax measures.

Mathieu urged businesses to select projects for closer review, partner with local companies and create opportunities for women and young people.

“Borno is becoming an investment story. The European Union is proud to be part of it,” she said.

The Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy, Dr Karen Jansen, commended Governor Zulum for restoring communities, rebuilding infrastructure and public services, and opening the state’s economy to investors.

She encouraged investors to sustain their commitments as the economy grows, assuring the state of Germany’s continued support.

“Mobilising private sector investment, including through blended finance, will be essential to complement development cooperation and support Borno’s sustainable reconstruction,” Jansen said.

Governor Zulum further urged private investors to take advantage of business opportunities in the state, assuring them of government support and simpler administrative procedures.

He invited businesses to invest in commercial farming, livestock production, fisheries and manufacturing, while encouraging financial institutions to expand credit for small enterprises.

“Government’s role is to build the foundation, establish the security, and create the regulatory framework. But the private sector is the ultimate engine of wealth creation, job opportunities, and lasting prosperity,” Zulum said.

He said the Borno State Investment Promotion Agency was simplifying procedures for investors, supported by land administration reforms, fiscal incentives and public-private partnership frameworks aimed at protecting investments.