By Stellamaries Amuwa
The Special Adviser to the Governor of Enugu State on Investment Strategy and Public Relations, Prince Humphrey Onyima, paid a visit to the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Abuja as part of ongoing efforts to establish an Enugu State-UAE Investment Corridor.
Onyima was received by the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Salem Saeed Al Shamsi, alongside Mr Saif Al Katheeri, Head of the Economic and Political Section of the Embassy, and a Special Adviser to the Ambassador.
Ambassador Al Shamsi has served as the UAE Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Nigeria since June 2023 before his appointment, he held senior leadership positions in the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidential Court. The meeting focused on developing a structured economic relationship between Enugu State and the UAE’s investment, development-finance, aviation, technology, infrastructure, logistics and commercial ecosystems.
Prince Onyima explained that the proposed investment corridor would connect Enugu State with major commercial and investment centres in the UAE, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the other Emirates. The initiative is intended to create a formal mechanism through which UAE investors, financial institutions, operators and development partners can identify and participate in commercially viable projects in Enugu State.
Meanwhile, a major outcome of the meeting was the Ambassador’s indication that the UAE Embassy could facilitate a high-level visit to Enugu State involving relevant private-sector investors, operators and institutions. “We can invite some private sector to visit the Governor and see the opportunities in Enugu State,” Ambassador Al Shamsi told the delegation.
The proposed visit would provide UAE representatives and prospective investors with an opportunity to meet the Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, receive detailed presentations on the state’s development and investment priorities, and conduct preliminary assessments of selected projects. The visit would also create a platform for discussions on the commercial, technical, legal and institutional conditions required to move potential projects from diplomatic engagement to actual investment implementation.
During the meeting, the Ambassador asked the delegation to clearly identify Enugu State’s investment interests and specify the areas in which the state required the UAE’s assistance. He assured the delegation that the Embassy was open to studying Enugu State’s proposals and facilitating engagement with relevant authorities, investment institutions and private-sector operators in the UAE. The Embassy is expected to consult the appropriate UAE authorities and communicate its feedback to the Enugu State Government.
