President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has become the first African leader to be honoured with ringing the closing bell of the world’s second largest stock exchange, the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (NASDAQ).
The record event, according to pundits, is an affirmation of trust in the president’s leadership and his aggressive push for foreign direct investment.
At the NASDAQ podium, the President, surrounded by Nigerian business leaders and officials of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, in trademark fashion, seized the opportunity to project the country’s image and potentials.
“It’s a great honour for me to be here. I am happy to bring Nigeria to your doorsteps and I am honoured that we are here today with a bubbling Nigerian stock market that will evolve in the West African sub-region. The greatest economy in Africa is Nigeria, there is an immense opportunity in Nigeria where you can invest your money without fear,” President Tinubu said.
He noted that his government will continue to address longstanding problems and bottlenecks like unifying the foreign exchange market to create enabling environment for foreign direct investments.
“You’re free to take in your money and bring out your money. I count on you to invest in Nigeria,” the President exclaimed under the lights.
At the Nigeria-U.S. Executive Business Roundtable held after the closing bell, the president told prospective investors that he brought successful Nigerian industrialists and public officials to share their experiences and advance their worldview.
“Nigeria is an opportunity that is impossible to replicate or find elsewhere in any part of the world. We have brilliant young people who both innovate and consume at a large scale. Our entrepreneurial spirit is a major part of what makes our market totally unique, aside from demography. Nigerians build businesses and Nigerian businesses partner with other businesses to conduct larger business. There is enough value to spread around. Be careful of what you hear about Nigeria. You may be dissuaded out of a major opportunity that others will take up. We are here for you. We will give you all the support you need to succeed and succeed abundantly,” the President assured.
U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary, Wally Adeyemo, told U.S. business leaders that he arrived from an official visit Lagos a few hours ago, and that; “In Lagos, I saw firsthand some of the major reforms you [Tinubu] implemented as the Governor of Lagos and the transformative effect it has had on Nigeria’s commercial capital. People have attested to the fact that the reforms you have put in place as president are quickly enhancing confidence. American business is paying attention to that and from what we have seen for ourselves, Nigeria is proving to be a new frontier for investment. We will encourage our companies from our end as those reforms continue to deepen”.
The American Business Council President, Mr. Sops Ideriah, said, the extensive turnout at the roundtable by American business executives is a testament to the high confidence in Tinubu’s administration.