Delta State has launched a $100 million Viability Gap Fund to de‑risk private investments, a move endorsed by WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo‑Iweala as the state positions itself to rival Lagos as Nigeria’s next industrial hub.
Vice President Kashim Shettima told investors at the Delta Economic and Investment Summit in Asaba that the state’s coastline, gas reserves, ports, power assets, and skilled workforce make it a “first‑order investment destination.”
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori pledged swift execution of deals, insisting the summit is “not a talk shop” but a launchpad for industrialisation.
Okonjo‑Iweala hailed the fund as “exactly the kind of action we need,” while Tony Elumelu backed Delta’s readiness for profitable ventures, especially in power.
Pan‑Africanist Patrick Lumumba urged the removal of visa barriers to unlock AfCFTA’s full potential, and Anambra Governor Chukwuma Soludo called for Delta‑Anambra collaboration as “twin growth hubs.”
