The federal government, in collaboration with the Africa Business Roundtable, is organising the second edition of the Nigeria International Economic Partnership Forum (NIEPF), a global economic investment platform, this time in New York, United States.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement issued on Sunday, said this 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.
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He said the forum was organised by the government in its continued bid to further open up the country’s economy to international capital and attract foreign investment.
Shehu said the NIEPF, holding alongside the annual global gathering, is expected to draw the presence of world leaders in politics, economy, media as well as civil society organisations and international media to focus on the vast economic potential of Nigeria, Africa’s leading economy.
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 development drives such as the post-COVID-19 recovery and financing priorities; Africa’s investment climate and market as well as de-risking the continent.
“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.
“Speakers and panellists 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.
Also scheduled for attendance are 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, to mention but a few,” the statement added.
