Business Leaders, Policymakers Explore Investment Opportunities At 9th EU-Nigeria Business Forum

Nigerian and European business leaders, policymakers, and institutional stakeholders will meet in Abuja on July 2, 2024, to identify and explore investment opportunities along specific value chains at the 9th European Union-Nigeria Business Forum.

According to a statement issued on Sunday, the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS are organising the Forum, which will be held in the federal capital for the first time, in close coordination with EU Member States and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

The event, themed “Investing in Jobs and a Sustainable Future,” will be held at Abuja’s Continental Hotel.

Samuela Isopi, EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, stated that the Business Forum will facilitate trade, investment, and partnerships through networking, discussions, and policy shaping, promoting economic cooperation between the EU and Nigeria and stimulating long-term growth for both parties.

She stated: @It is important to note that the EU-Nigeria Business Forum will be held in Abuja for the first time since its inception in 2024. This will allow the EU, its Member States, and the private sector in Europe and Nigeria to engage the new administration in a transparent and inclusive manner about their investment agendas, with the goal of fostering confidence and commitment to a stronger and more sustainable partnership.”

She explained that as part of the EU Global Gateway Strategy, EU-funded projects will supplement private sector investment in areas critical to social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
In Nigeria, special emphasis is placed on the development of local talent, particularly among youth and women, as well as economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Against this backdrop, she stated that the 9th EU Nigeria Business Forum will concentrate on current and future investment in the digital, health, and agricultural sectors.

According to Ms Isopi, the Business Forum will discuss the options and benefits of establishing a bilateral legal framework between the EU and Nigeria, which would bring certainty, stability, and sustainability to bilateral trade and investment relations.

Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, expressed her support, saying: “I commend the EU Delegation to Nigeria, ECOWAS, and the EU Member States for their commitment to promoting economic cooperation and stimulating long-term growth. Let us seize this opportunity to lay the groundwork for a prosperous future for both Nigeria and the EU.”

The Forum will be held in a hybrid format, with a focus on sectoral associations, the business community, and entrepreneurs, and is expected to attract at least 400 in-person participants (excluding those who will attend virtually). It will also include panels on a variety of topics, such as Confidence in the Nigerian Economy: Sustainable Solutions to Attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Digitalization Leapfrog, Healthy Economies Thrive, and From Agriculture to Agribusiness.