Niger plans to present 50 projects in 13 sectors to investors at a forum held from 24 to 26 November in Niamey, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry announced on 16 October. Preparations for this first edition were launched the same day in the Nigerien capital.
Organisers are targeting the signing of agreements worth 5,500 billion FCFA. This amount is a target for the forum, not financing already secured. Minister Abdoulaye Seydou called on companies operating in Niger, commercial banks and financial institutions to take part in the event.
Energy, oil and mining resources, agriculture and livestock, infrastructure and new technologies are among the investment opportunities highlighted by the minister, according to a report by the Nigerien Press Agency. The organisers present the projects as bankable.
Abdoulaye Seydou nevertheless acknowledged that private investment remained below the government's ambitions. He identified three obstacles: a lack of visibility due to the absence of a unified project portfolio, isolated procedures imposed on investors, and shortcomings in follow-up after commitments. These have sometimes limited the realisation of announcements, he said.
The ministry is organising the forum with the Nigerien Agency for the Promotion of Private Investment and Strategic Projects, with support from the United Nations Development Programme. It expects around 1,000 participants, including 300 investors from more than 30 countries, at the Mahatma Gandhi International Conference Centre.