The first-ever Taraba International Investment Summit, dubbed TARAVEST 2025, took place on 21st May 2025, attracting an array of prominent personalities from across the globe.
Leading the roll-call of distinguished Nigerians at the event were Nigeria’s Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima; several governors; former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Africa’s richest man and business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; and CEO of UBA, Mr. Tony Elumelu.
Others in attendance included the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ọjájá II); Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III; captains of industry; members of the diplomatic corps; religious leaders; and both local and international investors.
Declaring the summit open, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Vice President Shettima, acknowledged the abundant natural resources in Taraba State and described the investment summit as a call for partnership to harness them.
He explained that Nigeria has a better opportunity to compete globally if its economic opportunities are fully explored. He added that his administration has rolled out various intervention programmes and policies to boost agriculture and other sectors of the economy.
He also congratulated the Governor of Taraba State for the positive initiative behind the summit, which he said would redefine the destiny of the state and its people.
Welcoming participants earlier, the Governor of Taraba State, Dr. Agbu Kefas, visibly excited about the summit, described it as a beacon of hope for the state.
He urged those willing to do business and invest in the state to act swiftly, noting that there is peace and a conducive environment for business.
Speaking at the event, Dangote emphasized that while foreign direct investment is important, “foreign investors will only come when they see local investors thriving. The government must encourage domestic investments first.”
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He assured that the Dangote Group would partner with the state to invest and positively impact the lives of its people.
Similarly, Elumelu, founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation and chairman of Transcorp Group, echoed Dangote’s position.
“We are ready to invest in Taraba through Transcorp and the Tony Elumelu Foundation. UBA will also continue to expand its footprint and financial services across Africa,” he announced.
According to Elumelu, investing in agriculture is critical to tackling hunger and strengthening food security.
“Investment helps create jobs, reduce unemployment, improve security, and empower people,” he stated.
Also speaking, Niger State Governor Umar Bago opined that Nigeria’s rich agricultural resources are capable of lifting its citizens out of economic hardship.
He said Nigeria, with its fertile lands, has significant untapped potential.
He therefore called on the Federal Government and private sector individuals to harness this agricultural potential to eradicate poverty, declaring that with year-round farming capacity, the country has no excuse for economic hardship.
“All the factors of production are inherent here in Taraba State, as enumerated in Aliko Dangote’s speech. We have land, water, sun, and people. People in Europe can barely farm for three months in a year, but we can farm 24/7, 365 days a year. It means we have no business being in poverty.”
Bago, who represented the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and described himself as the “Chief Farmer of Nigeria,” emphasized that all necessary factors for agricultural production—land, water, sunlight, and manpower—are abundantly present in Taraba State.
The former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, described the summit as key to bringing economic transformation.
He urged the government to implement measures addressing investment risks to encourage people to invest in the state.
The Ooni also challenged the governor not to rest on his laurels.
“It’s commendable that you have brought major players here. Now, focus on building on the strengths of Taraba. We need to see real investments in agriculture, tourism, and other critical sectors,” he said.
The Sultan also commended Governor Agbu Kefas for maintaining relative peace in Taraba over the past two years.
“Bringing the world to Taraba is no small feat. The security gains made under your administration must be protected to sustain investor confidence,” the Sultan remarked.
Other speakers at the summit included the Minister of Special Development Initiatives from Ghana, representing the Ghanaian President.
The Chairman of the investment summit planning committee, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, expressed excitement over the calibre of personalities that attended the summit.
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