The Presidency has said President Bola Tinubu became the first African leader to ring the closing bell at the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (NASDAQ) in New York.
OsunDailyNG reports that the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, made this known in a statement on Thursday.
Ngelale said the president was invited to the world’s second-largest stock exchange in honour of his determined global push to aggressively attract foreign direct investment into Nigeria.
He said the President did not fail to seize the opportunity presented by the historic moment to boldly advance his foreign investment push as he stood, live, in front of financial markets at the famous stock exchange.
The presidential spokesman stated that President Tinubu was surrounded by Nigerian business leaders and officials of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
Tinubu said: “It’s a great honour for me to be here. I am happy to bring Nigeria to your doorstep, 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.
“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 on 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.”
The President noted that his government continues to address longstanding problems and impediments, such as his work to restore and unify the foreign exchange rate market to a stable and trustworthy level, allowing new investors to seamlessly bring their money into the country, free of worries about whether or not they can take their money out at any point in time.
He said: “You’re free to take in your money and bring out your money. I count on you to invest in Nigeria.”
At the Nigeria-U.S. Executive Business Roundtable held just after the closing bell, President Tinubu assured prospective investors that their business would be protected.
He said: “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 on 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 the roundtable as he pointed out cabinet officials.”
