By Deji Elumoye:
Nigeria, in collaboration with the Africa Business Roundtable, will this week hold the second edition of the Nigeria International Economic Partnership Forum (NIEPF), a global economic investment platform, in New York, the United States of America.
The Forum, according to a release issued Sunday by presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, is part of federal government’s moves to further open up the country’s economy to international capital and attract foreign investment.
The high-level event is scheduled for Thursday, September 22, 2022, on the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly taking place in the American city.
Holding alongside the annual global gathering, the NIEPF is expected to draw the presence of world leaders in politics, economy, media, as well as civil society oganisations and international media to focus on the vast economic potentials of Nigeria and Africa’s leading economy.
Most significantly, President Muhammadu Buhari will deliver the keynote address at the event and will also host a high-level presidential session with fellow presidents and heads of delegations on Issues That Need Joint Action for African Countries on the Development Drive such as the post COVID-19 recovery and financing priorities; Africa’s Investment Climate and Market, as well as de-risking the continent.
The NIEPF will bring together top Nigerian government functionaries, as well as renowned and highly respected global public and private sector players rubbing minds on Nigeria’s Economic Outlook, focusing on Nigeria in the global economy; and International Partnership for Nigeria on the Development Drive.
In view of the wide spectrum of personalities attending the forum, there will be cluster thematic sessions on: (i) Growing Nigeria’s Agriculture for Food Security & Access to Export Market with special focus on Impact of the Russia-Ukraine war, which presents opportunities for G7/G20-Nigeria Partnerships in Agriculture; (ii) Scaling Up International Resources for Financing Education in Africa with emphasis on making facilities to Link Government, Deal Sponsors and International Pools of Capital in Education; and (iii) Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Sector: Reforms, Results and the Road focusing on Scaling Up Investment into the Gas Market—Plants, Parks, Cylinders, Reinjection.
Other issues slated for discussion include: Scaling Up International Resources for Healthcare in Africa bordering on: Upgrading and expanding Nigeria’s Healthcare Infrastructure towards making Nigeria the “healthcare hub” for Africa; Climate Change and Paths to Clean Environment with emphasis on Paths to Clean Economy, Clean Energy and Clean Development; and Financing Nigeria’s Infrastructure with emphasis on developing infrastructures such as farm to market corridor, farm to ports corridor, export transport corridor, railway network, road network upgrade and expansion, airport upgrade, including dedicated airports for exports, power generation, transmission and distribution.
Speakers and panelists at the event include Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group; Bill Gates, Co-Founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Satya Nadella, Chairman Business Council of the United States and Chief Executive Officer Microsoft Corp; Antony Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States; Florie Liser, President of the Corporate Council on Africa, and members of the Business Council of International Understanding, Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning; John Kerry, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate; and Abdul Samad Rabiu, Executive Chairman of BUA Group, who is also the President of the France-Nigeria Business Council.
Others are Mark Zuckerberg, Chief Executive Officer of Facebook; Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organisation; Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank and Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, among others.
