By Eseoghene Emuke
Vice President Kashim Shettima has declared Delta State one of Nigeria’s most promising investment destinations, urging local and foreign investors to seize the opportunities created by the Federal Government’s ongoing economic reforms.
Speaking on Monday at the opening of the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit 2026 in Asaba, Shettima said President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies had restored investor confidence, strengthened macroeconomic stability and positioned Nigeria for long-term growth.
He said recent upgrades by international credit rating agencies, including Fitch Ratings, S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s, reflected growing confidence in the Nigerian economy.
“These are proof that Nigeria is regaining credibility, and the best time to invest is now before the opportunity becomes expensive,” the Vice President said.
Describing Delta as a first-order investment destination, Shettima said the state’s strategic coastline, seaports, vast gas reserves, refining assets, agricultural potential, blue economy opportunities and solid mineral deposits place it in a unique position to become a major industrial and commercial hub.
Commending Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for convening the summit, he assured that the Federal Government would continue working with state governments to remove barriers to investment and create an enabling environment for businesses.
“We are co-travellers on the road from promise to production, from allocation to transformation, and from potential to prosperity,” he added.
In a major announcement at the summit, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori unveiled a $100 million Viability Gap Funding initiative aimed at reducing investment risks and attracting strategic private sector investments into the state.
The governor said the fund would help transform investment commitments into bankable projects capable of driving industrialisation, economic diversification and large-scale job creation.
According to him, the initiative followed investment missions to China and Brazil in 2025 aimed at attracting global investors to Delta.
Oborevwori said Delta’s economy, valued at about ₦17 trillion, remains one of Nigeria’s strongest, supported by abundant natural resources, prudent fiscal management, expanding infrastructure and investor-friendly policies.
He disclosed that the state had introduced tax incentives, including waivers on tenement rates and other levies for up to five years, while establishing an Ease of Doing Business Council to simplify investment procedures.
The governor further revealed that over 12,000 hectares of land had been designated for commercial agriculture, while the state’s 163-kilometre coastline offers enormous opportunities in the blue economy.
He also highlighted investment prospects in gas-fired power plants, renewable energy, solar farms and mini-grid infrastructure, assuring investors that Delta remains financially stable, secure and debt-free.
Oborevwori noted that the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources recognised Delta as Nigeria’s Safest State for Oil and Gas Investments in 2024.
Delivering the keynote address, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, urged Delta to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), global supply chain shifts and Nigeria’s ongoing reforms to position itself as the country’s next industrial growth hub.
Declaring herself “a Delta State optimist,” she identified the state’s gas reserves, seaports, rail connectivity, fertile agricultural land, skilled workforce and fiscal discipline as major competitive advantages.
She advised the state to prioritise investments in the Delta Special Economic Zone, agro-processing, marine logistics, oil and gas value addition, digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence.
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, said Nigeria’s macroeconomic fundamentals had improved significantly, urging Delta and Anambra to deepen economic collaboration while encouraging governments to make investment promotion a continuous exercise.
Pan-African scholar, Prof. Patrick Lumumba, challenged African governments and investors to invest more within the continent, insisting that stronger intra-African investment would accelerate industrialisation, create jobs and reduce dependence on foreign capital.
Minister of Finance, Prof. Taiwo Oyedele, said reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange liberalisation, had significantly increased revenues available to states for development.
Chairman of Transcorp Power Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu, pledged the company’s support in expanding electricity supply to industries and households across Delta State.
Also, Chief Executive Officer of Mosra Energy, Ramos Olukayode, disclosed that Delta hosts over 200 million tonnes of coal deposits in Obomkpa, Ukunzu and neighbouring communities.
Chief Executive Officer of UTM Gas Limited, Julius Rone, revealed that Delta State’s ₦42 billion investment for an eight per cent equity stake in the company in 2022 has appreciated to about ₦200 billion.
Rone also announced that UTM Gas would establish its corporate headquarters in Warri when full operations begin in 2030, further reinforcing Delta’s status as a key energy investment destination.
