A delegation of Indian investors, through the Nigerian-Indian Business Council, has approached the Federal Government and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) with the aim of collaborating to complete the Millennium Towers and invest in the medical sector.
Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed who led the delegation of Indian investors to the FCTA in Abuja, called on the investors to look at the possibility of establishing a Film city within the Cultural Centre.
He said: “I want to say that our efforts of wooing investors are yielding fruits because after the last visit, we had enquiries from some serious investors and this time, I’m here with members of the Nigeria-India Business Council.
“The NIBC is made up of Nigerian and Indian businessmen and they have been here to look at where they can invest in area of power, infrastructure and medicine and of course, they also came with their investors from the creative sectors – from the film industry.”
He said that the investors have shown a lot of interest in the Nigerian creative industry and are looking closely at the establishment of film schools and studios very similar to what are obtained in Bollywood in the Cultural Centre.
“I think from what we have discussed, there is a lot of encouragement coming from them because one of the things that is unique here is, they have shown interest in the studios and the films schools.
“We will continue the conversation and see whether we can actually attract investors that will come and help us to finish this iconic edifice of the Millennium Tower and Cultural centre,” the minister said.
On his part, the FCT Minister who was represented by the Executive Secretary, FCDA, Shehu Hadi Ahmad urged the investors to take a critical look at the project, which make up the cultural spine of Abuja with a view to opening the windows for more investment in the FCT.
Mallam Bello stressed that the Millennium Tower project was dear to the FCT Administration and is optimistic that when completed it will not only open up the FCT and boost tourism and commercial activities, but would also yield a lot of financial benefits for investors.
Speaking after a tour of the Millennium Tower, a member of the delegation and Creative Producer in Bollywood India, Aasia Abbas expressed excitement at the benefits of investing in the FCT’s cultural edifice.
She said: “We feel there is much potential and it is worth investing in. I see a big future for Nigerian film industry with so much content. Nigerian musicians are already world famous now and there are so many of these artists who are going to America and recording these songs. Why can’t they record it here? The talent is, there, so all you need is a good studio.
“The idea is to harness the talent here and to keep it here and then to make it like global platform so that you can have Nigeria to stand on a global platform and you can have people and students from all over Africa coming here, studying, learning, developing and producing contents. People go to America, the New York Film Academy. Why shouldn’t they come to Abuja Film School”? She asked.
Also present during the tour were the Nigerian High Commissioner to India, Ambassador Ahmed Sule, the Director-General, Nigerian Film Corporation, Dr Chidia Maduekwe, the Director-General, National Gallery of Art, Mr Ebeten Ivara, the Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Mallam Bashir Mai-Bornu and other senior officials of the FCTA and Federal Ministry of information and Culture.
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