Gleb Nikitin and Alexander Shokhin discussed measures to improve the investment climate and business activity.

      October 17, 2025 18:05 Politics

      The governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Gleb Nikitin, and the president of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), co-chair of the supervisory board of the National Association of Investment and Development Agencies (NAAIR), Alexander Shokhin, at a meeting in the office of the Development Corporation of the Nizhny Novgorod Region discussed measures to improve the investment climate and business activity, and also summed up the results of the Fifth Congress of regional investment agencies and development corporations.

      The congress is being held on October 16–17 in Nizhny Novgorod. It is attended by more than 100 representatives of authorities, development agencies and business associations from 68 regions of Russia.

      "At the congress we share our extensive experience and learn practices from other regions. The congress is held once every two years, and that adds value to each event. Development agencies are very important institutions for all regions; they play a key role in improving the investment climate. Our Development Corporation is currently supporting 338 investment projects with a total investment volume of 380 billion rubles, which amounts to 32,000 jobs. The example of our region shows the effect of having such an investor support institution, and I am confident that together we will create conditions that will lead to a sustainable economy," said Gleb Nikitin.

      As Alexander Shokhin said, the congresses are held in order to develop a consolidated position on the activities and development of specialized organizations for attracting investments and working with investors in the subjects of the Russian Federation.

      "It is pleasing to note that businesses, when implementing their investment initiatives, have increasingly turned to regional development agencies, treating them as trusted partners. This indicates that the idea of creating development agencies in every region has proven itself," he noted.

      In his speech Alexander Shokhin cited the successful model of the Development Corporation of the Nizhny Novgorod Region as an example for possible replication in other regions.

      Also participating in the meeting were the CEO of the Development Corporation of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Igor Ishchenko; the executive director and deputy chairman of the board of NAAIR, Rafael Khusainshin; and heads of investment agencies and development corporations from Russian regions. They set out their proposals to increase the effectiveness of agencies and development corporations in the regions.

      In particular, Igor Ishchenko proposed that the possibility of subsidizing mortgages for employees of zones with preferential tax regimes be considered at the federal level.

      "To date, 45 companies have been approved by the expert council of the Kulibin SEZ; they will direct about 144 billion rubles to project implementation and will create more than 6,000 jobs. Personnel determine everything, so we are working on this issue especially actively now. In my view, if we could support the initiative to subsidize mortgages, for us as the management company of the SEZ this would be a critically important solution to the problem of workforce shortages and would become an additional incentive to operate in our special economic zone," said Igor Ishchenko.

      In addition, proposals were voiced to reduce the administrative burden on businesses, minimize inspections by regulatory authorities, create a federal institute of investment commissioner in Russia, and amend a number of federal laws and regulatory legal acts.

      Recall that improving the quality of work with investors and supporting them has been included since 2025 in the objectives of the national project "Efficient and Competitive Economy," initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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