Since the return of democracy in 1999, successive Governors of Delta State have undertaken international investment drives, especially to China, with the promise of attracting foreign direct investment and transforming the state’s economy. From Chief James Ibori to Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and now Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, the state has witnessed repeated declarations of foreign partnerships, yet Delta remains a largely consumption-driven economy with little to show in industrial productivity. These trips, often hailed with media fanfare, have largely failed to translate into tangible investments that uplift local industries or create sustainable jobs.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s recent trip to Macau, China, to attend the 16th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum (IIICF), reignited public discourse around the real value of such international engagements. Accompanied by senior aides, including the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads), Mr. Charles Aniagwu, the governor was reportedly invited due to his administration’s commitment to project excellence and prompt contractor payments. The delegation explored areas such as waste-to-energy technology, rural infrastructure, and foreign investment prospects. While this reflects positively on the governor’s intent, Deltans are right to ask whether this trip will be different from the many others that came before it.
It is on record that during his administration, Chief James Ibori initiated several foreign visits, including trips to Asia, aimed at drawing investments in oil servicing, gas processing, and large-scale agriculture. Yet, much of these promises faded with his tenure, leaving no enduring legacy of foreign-driven industrialisation. Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan also pursued international investors under his ‘Delta Beyond Oil’ campaign. Though well-articulated, the policy failed to deliver an industrial revolution or significantly reduce the state’s dependence on federal allocations. Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who succeeded him, also courted foreign investors and signed Memoranda of Understanding with Chinese companies, yet by the end of his eight-year term, Delta’s industrial base remained shallow.
It is important to ask the hard questions. Why have these high-level foreign trips not yielded factories, agro-processing hubs, or technology incubation centres across Delta State? Why have the MOUs and partnerships announced with fanfare not translated into industries on the ground? Is it the absence of enabling infrastructure like steady power supply, access roads, or water? Is it policy inconsistency or the lack of legal safeguards that guarantee investor confidence and contract enforcement? Or is it simply political optics designed to impress without strategic follow-up?
Investment experts agree that certain conditions must be met for any economy to attract meaningful foreign investment. These include political stability, ease of doing business, legal certainty, steady power supply, secure land tenure systems, and security of lives and assets. Delta still struggles with most of these fundamentals. Cases of land encroachment, arbitrary revocation of contracts, power outages, and bureaucratic delays in business registration are enough to scare even the most enthusiastic investor. Without addressing these systemic challenges, no foreign investor, regardless of promises made in China or elsewhere, will take Delta seriously.
To Governor Oborevwori’s credit, the Macau forum presented a genuine opportunity. His administration’s stance on quality project delivery and contract transparency reportedly earned him recognition from global players like the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). His exploration of waste-to-energy technologies and interest in transforming rural roads signal a readiness to pursue development through innovative and sustainable means. However, international recognition and goodwill are not substitutes for on-ground implementation. They must be backed by a coherent economic strategy that aligns investor interest with local development goals.
Ndokwa Reporters believe that for this latest international trip to count, Governor Oborevwori must institutionalise the processes that give investors confidence. His government should create dedicated industrial zones with access to reliable electricity, security, and water. Legal frameworks should be introduced to guarantee investment protection and resolve disputes swiftly. Each Memorandum of Understanding signed must include clear timelines and performance benchmarks, with penalties for non-performance. The government must also create an aftercare mechanism to support foreign investors post-arrival, helping them navigate regulatory and operational hurdles.
These steps are essential, particularly in light of the lingering dispute between the Delta State Government and contractors over the Kwale Industrial Park project. Although the matter has not yet resulted in legal action, the contractors have reportedly not been paid after supplying critical equipment. As a result, the equipment intended for the park remains unused and abandoned, while the agro-business community in Delta State continues to wait for the promised infrastructure that could boost economic productivity.
Moreover, Delta State must not depend exclusively on foreign capital to drive its economic growth. It is imperative that local direct investment be actively promoted through deliberate policy interventions. The government should introduce matching grant schemes for indigenous entrepreneurs, offer targeted tax incentives, and foster public-private partnerships in strategic sectors such as food processing, renewable energy, and information and communication technology. Additionally, the state’s vocational and technical education programmes must be strengthened to equip young people with practical, industry-relevant skills. Adopting this dual strategy, leveraging both foreign and local investments, will be key to transforming Delta from a consumption-based economy into a productive and self-sustaining one.
It is also vital for the Delta State Government to learn from past failures. Governors must resist the temptation to view foreign trips as political achievements in themselves. Without measurable results, factories built, jobs created, exports increased, they become expensive exercises in public relations. The people of Delta deserve better. This administration must be the one to break the cycle of foreign travel without foreign investment impact. It must be the one that finally turns promises into productivity.
Governor Oborevwori has a unique chance to leave a legacy not just of road construction, but of economic transformation. He must follow up every engagement from Macau with clear terms of implementation, investor monitoring, and accountability. If necessary, the government should create a Delta Investment Delivery Taskforce that will oversee the actualisation of these international partnerships. Every community should feel the effect of these deals through job creation, improved services, and higher local income.
Delta’s vast natural resources, educated workforce, and strategic location make it a prime candidate for industrialisation. What it needs is political will, economic discipline, and consistent follow-through. The government must ensure that investment inflows are not trapped in bureaucratic bottlenecks or dissipated through mismanagement. Transparency, efficiency, and innovation must define its next steps.
Ndokwa Reporters insists that for this China trip to matter, it must translate into real industrial development across Delta’s 25 local government areas. From Kwale to Ogwashi-Uku, from Asaba to Koko, new industries must rise, powered by the relationships forged in Macau. Only then will Delta move from the margins of economic potential to the centre of Nigeria’s production map. The time to act is now.
