Nigeria’s Untapped Jewel!
Is located in Nigeria’s North-East, is home to breathtaking landscapes, fertile farmlands, and abundant natural resources. The state boasts the famed Gashaka Gumti National Park—West Africa’s largest game reserve—alongside the Mambilla Plateau, rich in hydropower potential, and vibrant agricultural belts producing tea, coffee, grains, and livestock. With deposits of solid minerals and fast-rising ecotourism assets, Taraba is strategically placed to become an economic powerhouse. Known as “Nature’s Gift to the Nation,” the state offers investors unique opportunities in agriculture, mining, energy, education, and hospitality, now being unlocked through a bold reform agenda.

Dr. Agbu Kefas, Governor of Taraba State, has inaugurated the TARAVEST Committee as a strategic vehicle to mobilise capital, de-risk private investment, and convert Taraba’s comparative advantages into bankable, job-creating projects.

Speaking at the inauguration at the TY Danjuma Government House in Jalingo, the Governor declared that Taraba is open for business. He tasked Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, the committee chair, to produce a 100-Day Action Plan, highlighting fast-track projects and quick wins, with a consolidated Investment Prospectus for priority sector investment.

Governor Kefas

The governor said:

“TARAVEST will serve as the state’s investment hub to drive agriculture, energy, logistics, education, tourism, and solid minerals into bankable, job-creating projects.

Our mandate is simple, convert potential into prosperity. There is no room for white elephant projects. Every kobo mobilised must translate into roads, factories, farms, schools, hospitals, and jobs.

We will work hand-in-hand with our fiscal authorities, regulators, and our independent integrity and monitoring mechanisms to keep this process clean, competitive, and credible.

To our development partners and investors, Taraba is open for business with clarity of purpose and a predictable, rules-based environment. This initiative aligns with our 2027–2031 mandate of a Better Life for Taraba Citizens.

Members of the TARAVEST Committee, you carry the trust of this state, and I ask you to serve with integrity, urgency, and courage. The work begins now.”

In his response, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu described his appointment as “a crucial assignment”, thanking the Governor for his confidence. Elumelu recalled chairing the TARAVEST 2025 Summit in Jalingo, which drew more than 680 investor delegates and 255 delegations, including Heads of State, diplomats, captains of industry, and traditional leaders.

“With TARAVEST 2025, Taraba boldly showcased her vast opportunities in agriculture, mining, energy, and industrialisation to the world,” he said.

Elumelu explained that the summit was delivered at a conservative cost to the state, with significant support from private citizens and friends of the Governor. Presenting the official summit report, he expressed gratitude to donors.

He revealed:

“Experts estimate that TARAVEST 2025 has opened Taraba to over $500 billion in investment opportunities if fully harnessed. It is against this backdrop that we must approach our task with diligence and commitment.”

“On behalf of the Post-Summit Committee, I accept this task and pledge that we will not let Taraba State down.”

With Africa attracting record inflows of foreign direct investment—driven by energy transitions, food security demands, and new global supply chain dynamics—Taraba State is positioning itself as a frontier destination. The state’s focus on renewable energy, agribusiness, and sustainable tourism aligns with global development priorities set by the UN SDGs and climate finance institutions. By de-risking private capital and offering transparency, TARAVEST’s model mirrors successful sovereign-subnational investment platforms seen in emerging economies from Rwanda to Vietnam.

If fully implemented, Taraba could evolve from a largely resource-based economy into a regional investment hub, tapping into Nigeria’s $500 billion GDP market and West Africa’s 400 million-strong consumer base.