Governor Umo Eno says the new investment conversations during President Bola Tinubu’s visit to the United Kingdom could unlock strategic projects with direct impacts on growth, trade, and power supplies.
Speaking after engagements in London, the governor framed the outcomes around tangible benefits for his state, particularly deep seaport development and decentralised electricity, pointing to infrastructure and energy.
“For us in Akwa Ibom, we would be keen on both. As we go back home, we’ll be able to have this conversation with the ministers. And we would like to discuss more in terms of a deep-sea port, which we are trying to develop. And of course, the energy sector.” he said
Eno emphasised that Nigeria’s evolving power framework offers subnational governments new economic levers.
“Nigeria right now has decentralised energy to sub-nationals where we can generate our own electricity and even distribute it,” he said. “And that’s intriguing because we want to know how we can continue discussion with these investors and see how we can partner together.”
At the heart of the state’s infrastructure push is a proposed deep seaport expected to strengthen trade capacity.
“We have 19-metre-deep drought seaports in our state that we’ve been looking for investors to partner with to develop that seaport,” he stated. “And we also want to take advantage of the decentralisation of the electricity market.”
He said the UK engagements created momentum for concrete negotiations. “Those are two very strategic investments that will need partners. And that was discussed today. We hope to leverage this opportunity fully to advance the discussion with specific details and numbers.
On investor sentiment, the governor pointed to improvements in Nigeria’s financial environment. “Foreign exchange today is not so much of a challenge because you can now repatriate funds,” he said.
He added that formal agreements reached, including on port development in Lagos, signal stronger execution, placing infrastructure expansion and energy reform at the centre of Akwa Ibom’s economic agenda .
“This visit holds great significance as it involves tangible agreements,” stated Eno.