The Managing Director of LADOL Free Zone, Dr, Amy Jadesimi, has said that in just four sectors of healthcare, agriculture, energy and urbanisation, there are $12trn worth of sustainable business opportunities.
Jadesimi, who disclosed this to Financial Street on Monday in Lagos, said that the key to building a strong supply chain is sustainable local industrialisation.
She said that achieving sustainable local industrialisation remains a necessary tool for Nigeria’s quest towards a strong supply chain.
“In fact, in just four sectors – healthcare, agriculture, energy and urbanisation, there are $12trn (worth) of sustainable business opportunities. As one of the fastest growing countries in the world, our need is greater than most and our reward will be greater than most if we latch onto these opportunities now.”
Jadesimi said the key to having strong supply chains in Nigeria is industrial development and diversification.
According to her, “The data shows that the most profitable businesses and those that will have increasing access to finance are sustainable business. Nigeria has an unmatched opportunity to grow and industrialise sustainably. Sustainable business models work across all industries.”
The LADOL boss also said that the global shift is a chance for the nation to build and achieve a sustainable industrialisation, adding that “even if we don’t transition our economy, we will end up being forced to.”
Her words, “But that is the wrong way to look at this global shift. Rather, this shift is a chance for us to build the right way and achieve sustainable industrialisation ahead of wealthier countries, which have to backward integrate. Especially since technologies are getting cheaper.
“In summary, we need to industrialise to protect and strengthen our supply chains today, as doing so sustainably through the local private sector will yield greater profits now.”
Jadesimi added that even in the future, this would enable access to cheaper, longer-term funding and put us at the forefront of a world-wide transition.
“While this transition could take another 20 to 30 years, there is no doubt that it is needed, it has started, and it will happen,” she stressed.
