By Mokobia Rita
KWALE/Nigeria: Foreign investors from Brazil, Malaysia and the United States have expressed interest in exploring investment opportunities in Delta State after inspecting major industrial and agricultural projects during a guided tour of strategic business locations across the state.
The inspection, held on the sidelines of the 2026 Delta State Economic and Investment Summit, took the delegation to the Kwale Special Economic Zone, Kwale Gas Gathering Hub, Phoenix Company, Skyward Resources Group in Oleh and Uzezi Farms in Oyede, where they assessed existing infrastructure and investment prospects.
Leading the Brazilian delegation, agribusiness investor Roberto Fonseca said the team was particularly impressed by the Kwale Special Economic Zone, describing it as a well-conceived industrial project with strong potential to attract long-term private investment.
Fonseca disclosed that the Brazilian delegation was exploring opportunities in gas-fired power generation and cassava processing, adding that discussions were focused on developing joint ventures capable of supporting industrial growth in the state.
He also commended the scale of agricultural activities at Skyward Resources Group and Uzezi Farms, saying Brazil was willing to partner with Delta State in areas such as agricultural mechanisation, ranch development, beef processing and technology transfer.
According to him, stronger collaboration between Nigerian and Brazilian investors could improve food production while creating new opportunities across the agricultural value chain.
Malaysia’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Aiyub Omar, said Malaysian agribusiness firms were also assessing opportunities within Delta State’s oil palm industry.
He noted that discussions had commenced on possible partnerships aimed at expanding oil palm cultivation and processing, drawing on Malaysia’s experience in plantation development and value-chain management.
Also commenting on the investment prospects, Founder of Agrinexus, Dr. Shermal Perera, said the organisation had begun engaging local partners in Delta State to support agricultural development initiatives.
Perera disclosed that Agrinexus was already providing technical support to JB Farms and collaborating with DELCOM on a proposed smallholder oil palm programme designed to increase production and strengthen rural livelihoods.
He added that the company had facilitated the visit of an American investor interested in evaluating emerging business opportunities in the state, indicating that discussions initiated during the summit were already progressing towards possible investment partnerships.
Speaking during the inspection tour, Delta State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, said the visits were organised to give prospective investors the opportunity to assess projects on the ground rather than rely solely on presentations.
According to Onyeme, exposing investors to existing industries and infrastructure would help build confidence and encourage partnerships capable of supporting economic growth and employment.
At Skyward Resources Group, the company’s Managing Director, Chief Eta Enahoro, said international collaboration had played a significant role in the development of its greenhouse and poultry operations.
He disclosed that the company currently operates 42 greenhouse units and a poultry facility with a capacity of more than 30,000 birds, while calling for additional partnerships to expand production, value addition and agribusiness investment.
The inspection tour formed part of efforts to connect prospective investors with operational projects across Delta State, as stakeholders sought to translate investment discussions into long-term business partnerships.
