Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday hailed Coca Cola company for its plan to invest $1bn in Nigeria in the next five years, stating that such a move is a testament to the possibilities in the Nigerian economy.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, revealed this on Tuesday in a statement titled, ‘Osinbajo Hails Coca Cola’s Planned $1b Investment In Nigeria, Celebrates 70 Years Of Company In Nigeria.’

Osinbajo, while attending the 70th anniversary gala of the Nigerian Bottling Company in Lagos on Monday, assured that the Federal Government would keep on partnering with the company o achieve better strides.

He said, “Your ongoing investment in the country, which I am told will be in the order of $1billion in the next five years, testifies to your faith in the possibilities of Nigeria.”

“And you can rely on the partnership of the Nigerian government, (and I dare say the Nigerian people too) as you make these great strides.”

He also added that the Buhari administration’s commitment to “creating an environment that allows the private sector to innovate and thrive remains active and sincere, despite the challenges, and we will continue to work with businesses across the broad spectrum of our dynamic economy to ensure that we do this with a clear view of the opportunities and problems of the day.”

Hailing the company for spending 70 years in Nigeria, Osinbajo noted that Coca Cola has demonstrated “commitment to the Nigerian people with repeated investments, in the building of production facilities across the country, in creating thousands of jobs but also in your active support of every aspect of our national life, from health to education, from women and youth empowerment to sports. All done with conscious respect for the environment.”

The gala night was also attended by the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, and other distinguished personalities.