Emefiele urges OPS to float infrastructure bond

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has advised corporate bodies in the country to take advantage of the Presidential Order 7 to raise infrastructure bonds at concessionary rates.

According to him, this will help boost the Federal Government’s plan to develop infrastructure in the country.

Emefiele gave the charge on Saturday, during an inspection of the ongoing road construction from the Apapa Port to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway toll gate being undertaken by the Dangote Group.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing Executive Order 7, which opened the opportunity for private companies to intervene in infrastructure.

According to him, the Apapa Port Road being constructed by the Dangote Group was comparable to those constructed in the countries with more developed technology.

“It is a good thing for this country. When we talk about the Ease of Doing Business, you can imagine a situation whereby people have been complaining about the ease of transporting their goods out of the Apapa port,” he added.

While commending Alhaji Aliko Dangote for taking the initiative, Emefiele expressed hope that the road would ease the traffic challenge on the route, particularly for trucks conveying cleared goods from the ports.

He further commended the Dangote Group for using local content, stressing that “this is 100 per cent local content. Dangote uses his cement on this road, the rods I understand are coming from African Foundries that smelted waste steel, which is converted into iron bars and are being used for the road.”