Nigeria is ripe for investment – US Consul John Bray

Oscar Onyema, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, left with United States Consul General F. John Bray who believes Nigeria is ripe for foreign investments

The head of the US Consulate in Nigeria’s capital says United States support for Nigeria’s economy will continue given the African country’s demographics, noting that, Nigeria is ripe for investment.

United States Consul General F. John Bray spoke with The Associated Press on Monday after participating in the closing gong ceremony at the Nigeria Stock Exchange House in Lagos.

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Bray says the US private sector invests $8.1 billion a year in Nigeria and the country’s population of 180 million provides a tremendous base of consumers.

Bray said that businesses without a strategy for Nigeria don’t have an investment strategy for Africa.

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The consul says he discusses diversifying the Nigerian economy with American business leaders.

However, Nigeria’s crippled infrastructure has made doing business there difficult. Power outages, road blockages and security issues are some of the issues investors consider.

John Bary has served as the senior Regional Security Officer (RSO) in Abuja from October 2012 to October 2015 before coming to Lagos.

He previously served as the Deputy RSO in Baghdad; senior RSO in Abidjan, Dakar, Nouakchott, and Tashkent; first Agent in Charge of the Karzai Protective Detail; and as assistant RSO in Cairo.

In the United States, he served in Overseas Operations as the Special Operations Coordinator and as a member of the Mobile Security Division.

In 2011, Mr. Bray received a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College.

He also has a Master of Science degree in Journalism from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from the College of William and Mary.

He speaks Russian and French.

Prior to joining the Department, he served in the US Army as an Infantry and Special Forces Officer.