THE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration has approved the request of a consortium of Brazilian investors to build a model satellite city in Abuja.

FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, disclosed this during a dinner and interactive session he hosted in honour of 50 visiting Brazilian businessmen at his official residence in Abuja at the weekend.

He pointed out that the Brazilians would undertake the multi-billion naira investments under the land swap programme recently introduced by the administration to fast-track infrastructure and housing development in the nation’s capital.

According to the Minister, the Brazilian investors are ready to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the FCT administration to define the legal and physical framework for the collaboration.

He said the two parties have resolved that the MoU would be signed before the Brazilians depart for home at the end of their visit.

In addition to their participation in the land swap initiative, Mohammed announced that the Brazilians have also indicated interest in developing an industrial park, a monorail transport system, a world-class hospital and a standard university in the FCT.

The Minister had earlier, in a Power Point presentation, reeled out FCT’s numerous investment attractions such as centrality of location, excellent infrastructure, abundance of rich natural resources, relative security, neutral character and cosmopolitan ambience.

Mohammed told the Brazilians about Abuja’s strategic location as a territory that can be accessed from any part of the country by flight in less than one hour and from any part of the African continent in less than seven hours. Abuja’s unique position as the foremost regional, continental and global conference centre in Africa was also highlighted by the Minister during the presentation.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Secretary of Agriculture in the Brazilian state of Grande Do Sul, Mr. Rio Fernando Malwardi, had said that they were in Abuja to explore greater bilateral collaboration with Brasilia the capital of Brazil and Grande Do Sul on one hand and Abuja on the other.

He hailed the FCT Administration for various measures put in place to accelerate development of the capital city, in line with best global standards, adding that he has no doubt that within the next couple of years, Abuja would rank among the best cities in the world.

He said they were delighted to learn that the Abuja master plan envisages the development of the city in a similar manner as Brasilia, the capital city of Brazil. He described Nigeria as an important trading partner of Brazil.

In his remark, the Nigerian Ambassador to Brazil, Ambassador Vincent Okoedion, said Nigeria would benefit immensely from closer bilateral relations with Brazil.

He said that Brazil recently displaced Great Britain as the sixth strongest economy in the world.

The dinner witnessed interactive sessions, cultural dances, songs, entertainments and exchange of gifts.

kunlekunle: Ask them in tanzania,
the housing projects are crumbling.

Nigeria, with over 1000 engineegering graduates last year cant put this simple project together.
SMH

Mazi_Omenuko: If only I get a penny each time an MoU is signed in this country; I would have been on that Forbes list by now and competing with Aliko Dangote

kokoA: My brother no be small thing o. They sign MOUs more frequently than a newly weded couple makes love. If say na by MOUs, naija for don beat USA.

kunlekunle: Ask them in tanzania,
the housing projects are crumbling.

Nigeria, with over 1000 engineegering graduates last year cant put this simple project together.
SMH

CFCfan:

I tell you, Nigeria has got to be the MOU capital of the world.

CROWÉ:

How it works is that those engineering graduates would come together and start up a company and approach the federal government to invest in them, help them start up and give them projects. Unless you can have solid information that there have been such groups seriously trying to do such a thing there really isn't a reason to criticize the government. Having a degree is not enough, they need an entire company with capital and equipment, something the government will probably need to help them acquire.

Raymonbell: Yes, we av engineers but where is the fund to develop the project ;-(:-(

babyosisi: Similar to Fashola's Eko Atlantic
With property that the average Nigerian can't even walk by to sell groundnuts let alone dream of living in
They should announce these sort of news at NASS and house of reps plus executive council meetings with the minsters
The ordinary folks don't need to know
What for?

Why don't these investors they are passing off as Father Christmas go and rescue the millions of Brazilian slum dwellers and glue sniffing street kids

babyosisi: Similar to Fashola's Eko Atlantic
With property that the average Nigerian can't even walk by to sell groundnuts let alone dream of living in
They should announce these sort of news at NASS and house of reps plus executive council meetings with the minsters
The ordinary folks don't need to know
What for?

Why don't these investors they are passing off as Father Christmas go and rescue the millions of Brazilian slum dwellers and glue sniffing street kids

*Kails*:
Brazil is doing big things!!

CFCfan:

I tell you, Nigeria has got to be the MOU capital of the world.

Baba_Eleko: I hope they also construct a Brazilian hair production plant for my naija babes cos some of dem don dey happy as den see Brazilian.

eko ileee: This is one meaningless gibberish with no substance ...

DJDOLA: Brazil that country is so poor...thank God am a nigerian

DJDOLA: Brazil that country is so poor...thank God am a nigerian

lucenzo: if it was in lagos it wud have been eko o nibaje, lagos is working now it is in abuja it is meaningless gibberish.....olodo