Also, Governor Zulum and Radda spent N1.96bn and N1.94bn respectively on their trips in six months without attracting any foreign investment.
The foreign travel expenses of the state governors are highlighted to include Ebonyi, N1.85bn, Ekiti, N3.75bn, Taraba (N6.39bn), Delta (N1.98bn), Cross-Rivers (N2.31bn), Bayelsa (N1.66bn), Bauchi (N1.06bn), Anambra (N316.42m), Akwa-Ibom (N640.84bn), Adamawa (N1.72bn), Abia (N280.02m), Edo (N5.49bn), Enugu (N28.46m), Imo (N1.22bn), Gombe (N1.45bn), Jigawa (N984m), Kaduna (N1.01bn), Kano (N2.89bn), and Katsina with a total spending of N1.94bn.
For Kogi state, traveling expenses increased to N911.27m, Kebbi (N2.74bn), Kwara (N1.91bn), Nasarawa (N1.83bn), Lagos (N945.62m), Niger (N725.02bn), Ondo (N1.12bn, Sokoto (N1,41bn), Plateau (N2.99bn), Yobe (N3.01bn), and Zamfara (N1.57bn).
Benue, Rivers, and Ogun states were the ones without Q2, 2024 data.
The lack of foreign investments in the states coincides with a general fall in investments in the country due to insecurity and other issues, though the current administration says it has attracted $30bn in Foreign Direct Investments into the country.
Commenting on the lack of foreign investments in the affected states, an ECOWAS Common Investment Market consultant, Professor Jonathan Aremu, the states don’t have attractive factors.
“It’s because they don’t have attractive factors. The factors that attract foreign investment are not available in those states. One thing about investment is that it is crisis shy. Investment doesn’t go to places where there are crises. Because investors want stability and predictability in their investments, particularly, having returns on their investments”, he added
