By Passman Akpos
Bayelsa State has taken a major step toward expanding its global investment footprint as Governor Douye Diri announced the signing of a 10-point bilateral economic agreement with the Canadian city of Brampton.
The governor, who led a state delegation to Canada this week, disclosed that his team held “fruitful meetings” in both Brampton and Toronto, focusing on economic cooperation, trade, and foreign investment opportunities for Bayelsa.
Brampton—one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities with a population of about 800,000, including a Nigerian community estimated at 30,000—is renowned for its agro-processing capability and ranks number one nationally in food security. The city is also rated among the leading hubs in North America for ICT innovation, skills acquisition, and healthcare.
Governor Diri said he met with Brampton’s Mayor, Patrick Brown, where both sides explored strategic areas of partnership that could benefit Bayelsa’s economic transformation agenda. The engagements culminated in the signing of a 10-point bilateral agreement.
Bayelsa’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Biriyai Dambo (SAN), signed on behalf of the state government, while Denise McClure, Director of Economic Development, represented the City of Brampton.
Governor Diri has directed the Bayelsa Investment Promotion Agency (BIPA) to immediately commence follow-up actions to ensure full implementation of the pact, noting that the partnership aligns with his administration’s drive to make Bayelsa an attractive investment destination.
“With our soon-to-be-ready 24-hour electricity supply, improved security, and expanding infrastructure, Bayelsa is indeed open for investment,” Diri said, stressing that the agreement would “open yet another vista” in the ongoing efforts to rewrite the Bayelsa economic story.
He expressed appreciation to Mayor Brown for the warm reception accorded the Bayelsa delegation and said the state looks forward to hosting the mayor during his planned reciprocal visit to Nigeria in the coming months.
