Gov Kefas Woos Investors as Taraba Set to Host Taravest 2025 Summit

Gov Kefas Woos Investors as Taraba Set to Host Taravest 2025 Summit

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

In a bid to attract international investment and showcase the vast potential of Taraba State, Governor Dr. Agbu Kefas has called upon the diplomatic and international community to participate in the upcoming “Taravest 2025, Taraba International Investment Summit.”

Scheduled for May 21, 2025, the summit aims to highlight opportunities in agriculture, mining, energy, and industrialization, positioning Taraba as a prime destination for investment.

During a diplomatic briefing held on Monday in Abuja, Governor Kefas emphasized the importance of the summit, noting that it is geared towards  equipping stakeholders with Taraba’s untapped potentials and the structure of the summit. “To inspire your confidence in our security, infrastructure, and business environment,” Kefas said.

He further urged attendees to enlist their support in rallying investors, technical partners, and development agencies from their respective countries.

The Governor elaborated on the summit’s theme, “Unlocking Taraba’s Investment Potentials, Advancing Agriculture, Energy, Mineral, and Industrialization for Sustainable Growth,” and noted its significance as a cornerstone of the President’s Renewable Agenda.

“The engagement is designed to convert federal interventions into tangible projects, jobs, and enduring partnerships,” he added.

Highlighting the strategic advantages of investing in Taraba, Governor Kefas pointed to the state’s commitment to peace and security, noting that under the Strategic Security Council, Taraba has recorded zero major incidents in over two years. He also mentioned the state’s vast agricultural potential, with over 44,000 km² of arable land ideal for crops such as rice, maize, and cassava.

“We have unparalleled hydropower potentials on the River Benue and solar mini-grids all over the 168 walls in Taraba State. Four, mining. We are rich, and we have rich reserves of gold, limestone, lithium ore, and so many others that will be given to you in due course.

“We have an emerging ICT hub and world-class attractions like our National Park. At the Taravest, you will experience action-oriented panels, policy incentives, PPP frameworks, and priority projects that will be assigned to you.

“Also, there are guided site visits, which involve modern farms, exploration zones, and other newly remodeled facilities,” he stated.

The Governor also detailed the summit’s structure, which includes business-to-government and business-to-business matchmaking sessions aimed at facilitating direct negotiations for memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and joint venture agreements.

“The purpose of this is for investors to gain direct access to decision-makers, clarify regulators’ requirements, and discuss public-private partnership opportunities,” he explained.

Assuring attendees of their safety, Kefas stated, “We have coordinated with the state security services, the Nigerian military, the Nigerian police, and our traditional rulers to guarantee your safety throughout your stay.”

In terms of incentives for investors, the Governor highlighted the recently enacted Investment Incentives Act, which offers tax holidays, duty waivers, and land-use rebates.

“This is fully transparent; when investors look at all the available incentives, they make decisions alongside those that will be saddled with that responsibility,” he noted.

The Chairman of the Main Summit Planning Committee, Godwin Elumelu, reassured the diplomatic community of the measures in place to ensure safety and transparency in business dealings.

“The Governor will be talking to you to let you know the legal and regulatory framework protecting foreign investors in Taraba State,” he stated.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Maitama Tuggar, represented by Director (Economic, Trade, Investment Department), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Anderson Madueke, commended the Governor and the Taraba State government for organizing the summit.

“There is, therefore, the need for partnership between governments, private sector players, and civil societies. This significant gathering reflects our collective pursuit of development and prosperity, not only for Taraba State but indeed for the whole world,” he concluded.