The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has started discussions with officials of the African Export-Import Bank, Afreximbank, as part of its efforts to collaborate with development partners in the quest for economic growth in the Niger Delta region.
In an interview with newsmen at the end of the 31st Afreximbank Annual Meeting in Nassau, The Bahamas, NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku affirmed that the NDDC Board was actively seeking credible partners to aid the process of development.
Ogbuku, who represented the NDDC Board at the Afreximbank meeting, said that one of the major engagements of the Commission was a meeting with the Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade Bank at the Afreximbank, Mrs. Kanayo Awani.
He said that the Afreximbank top executive provided strategic and operational leadership in implementing the bank’s intra-African and industrialisation objectives, in support of Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA).
The NDDC boss described the meeting as a crucial gathering for economic decision-makers in Africa and the Caribbean, providing a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and the exploration of opportunities for mutual growth and development.
Ogbuku stressed the need to take initiatives aimed at attracting development partners and collaborating with them to harness the economic potential of the state in order to create jobs and bring about economic growth.
He re-stated the commitment of NDDC to pushing for sustainable development in the Niger Delta region, assuring that the Commission would follow up on the discussions to ensure tangible outcomes for the Niger Delta region. Ogbuku stated: “It was a worthwhile engagement and we concluded discussions on a wide range of prospects that will yield benefits to the Niger Delta region in no distant time.”
The four-day event attracted over two thousand delegates, including national and sub-national governments from across Africa and the Caribbean, political leaders and institutions from both regions as well as corporate organisations. Among the attendees were the Senate Committee Chairman on NDDC, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong and the former Managing Director of the NDDC, Mr. Timi Alaibe.
