EFCC, Presidency discuss investment promotion strategies

Michael Olumide

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council have forged a stronger collaborative pact to improve on foreign direct investment drives into the country.

According to the Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Mr. Dele Oyewale, the agreement was made in Abuja, when the Director General of the Council, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, led his management team on a courtesy visit to the EFCC’s Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, at the Commission’s corporate headquarters.

Adeyemi disclosed that the parley was necessary to evaluate the integrity of the investing members of the public, preparatory to the World Investment Summit to be hosted by Nigeria in November 2025.

“Nigeria will be hosting the World Investment Summit, the first of its kind in Africa. We have been traveling up and down to bring in foreign investors to support Mr. President. In the course of that, we met some people who really want to invest in Nigeria. But despite their willingness and readiness to work for Nigeria, we are being cautious so as not to run into barbed wire. Some people want to bring in money to invest, but we don’t have the intelligence to know whether the money they are bringing in is to finance terrorism or any other negative thing. So, for us not to run into trouble in the course of doing our work, we deemed it fit to consult you. We need to partner with you to collaborate to grow our economy. So, we are here to seek collaboration with your Commission so that we can together make Nigeria great again”, he said

Adeyemi also appreciated Olukoyede’s giant strides as the EFCC boss. “I want to appreciate the fantastic job you have been doing in this Commission. With my assumption of office a few months ago, I know what it is to be in a position of leadership. You, being at the center of this Commission, I sincerely pray that God Almighty will be with you”, he said.

Olukoyede expressed delight at the opportunity to collaborate with the Council for the well-being of the economy and the country and extended a hand of fellowship to the Council.

“Thank you for making time to see us. Accept our hand of fellowship and collaborate with us. On our part, as EFCC, one of the things we are trying to drive home with the instrumentality of this work is to grow the economy. When you are fighting corruption, the aim is to build the economy and not to bring it down. We must find a balance between the fight against corruption and the sustenance of investment and attraction to foreign direct investments. Though we are trying to do that, it does not mean that we will tolerate financial crimes,” he said.

Speaking on his resolve to spare no rogue investor in the anti-corruption fight, Olukoyede stated, “As many as we know set up their businesses to destroy the economy, we will bring them down. We don’t have any apology for that. Bringing them down will also help us build the economy because you can’t set up your business to destroy the economy. So, we try to strike a balance and see how we can interplay all the forces.

“Let us all ensure that we do the right things. If somebody sets out to scam the system, the long arm of the law will catch up with such a person. Let us always be conscious of that. On our part, we are ready to do the right things and to play by the rules.