Chairman of Chinese Investors Association for Development and Promotion in Nigeria, Chief Ronnie Liu, says he is committed to using his clout to attract investors to the country.
Ronnie, who was made the managing director of China Town, located at Ojota, Lagos early this year, is also the chairman of Huafei Group, and Founder of Institute of Nigeria China Development Studies at the University of Lagos.
The astute business expert made his plans known during a media tour of the China Town complex.
Since taking over the responsibility of running China Town, Chief Ronnie said he has been making contacts with top Chinese firms so that they could come and start operations in the expansive complex.
His words: “As you can see from this tour, a lot of innovation is going on and I can assure you that in no time, China Town will develop into a wholesale mall focusing on middle and high-end market selling and distributing hardware, bathroom ware, building materials, small and medium sized equipment and auto parts that imports from China.
“With the support of our political connections and business resources here in Nigeria, China Town will form and train competent sales teams to develop distribution networks in major cities in Nigeria, promptly responding to the demand of clients.”
“I want to develop China Town into an exhibition centre that will be well known for quality products , a hub for trade, investment, recreation, and cultural activities. I have been here for three weeks now and seven of the shops have been occupied with very good Chinese products. In three months’ time to come, the whole place would have been filled up with Chinese products. Every part of this place(China Town) will be fitted with light. The shops too will be fitted with air conditioners.
“China has 30 provinces and each of them is very big with very good products and services. We are talking with them. Many Nigerians do business in Banjo and we are already talking with the authorities to arrange all the factories for us so that Nigerians can be dealing directly with the right factories. With this the quality can be guaranteed. We are doing some new things now in China Town and we need all Nigerians to come to this place. That is why we need more good Chinese factories to come here to open shops. Without Nigerians the Chinese factories won’t open shops. We have adequate security here for shop owners and everybody coming here to do business. After 7 o clock, the complex will be closed for business activities.“
With his experience of what China went through to get to the level of comfort it enjoys now, Ronnie believes Nigeria will soon be great like the Asian country. “When I was a small boy, we didn’t have enough to eat. Projects like Third Mainland Bridge back then was a very big one for China but it is a very small thing for us to do now. You have all these highways but in China 30 years ago, we didn’t have anything at all. Nigeria was very great before now. Back then, N1 was equal to $1. You (Nigeria) were at the top and we were always looking at you with envy.”
Ronnie expressed confidence that with the business arrangements he is currently making, that Nigeria would soon cease to be a dumping ground for substandard products.
“Low quality products are for this period. When we bring the factories here and begin to produce a lot of quality goods, the economy would begin to pick up because people working with us would get paid and have money to spend. By that time, Nigeria will be fully changed. We have the full confidence that in the next few years, Nigeria would be changed totally just as I have the confidence that in half a year’s time, this place (China Town) would be changed.
“You don’t know how many factories that would come here. If Nigeria is full of factories and we produce things by ourselves, this county will have everything to itself. You will have good quality by yourselves and would have no reason to go for low quality products. This was the same condition China found itself 30 years ago. Then we would have to buy television from America and Japan. If you didn’t have money you would not be able to get it because the door was closed. Only the rich people could get quality things. The poor could only get low quality goods. It requires time and everybody’s efforts t improve the economy. “
Ronnie further said: “There are three African Study centres in China and we are working with them to give us good factories that would supply us. We are bringing a wide range of products and services. In the next three to 20 years, Nigeria would have been wonderfully changed. We already have a company in Calabar that is into electronics but most of them still import goods. We want to select one or two that will start manufacturing here. I have been to Osun State and spoken with the governor. The state has a trade free zone that is yet to take off.
“Most factories are going to Ogun State because it is close to Lagos State. I see Osun as a peace and quiet place. The people are also very friendly. We are about to sign MoU this week. If possible, we would start operations there. If we start attracting Chinese factories with products of the best quality here in China Town and they are selling well, it will be very easy for me to ask those Chinese factories to follow me to Osun State to set up a factory. We need Nigerians to work together. In the next three years we want to make sure that that this place is hot. If we have 100 factories here, we can get 10 or
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