Agenda

8:00 - 9:00

Registration and welcome tea

9:00 - 9:30

Opening ceremony – Anthems

Welcoming messages

  • H. E. Samuela Isopi, European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and the ECOWAS
  • Ms Myriam Ferran, Deputy Director General, Directorate General for International Partnerships, European Commission
  • Dele Oye ESQ, President, Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA)
  • Hon. (Dr) Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment
  • Mr Wale Edun, Hon. Minister of Finance, Coordinating Minister of the Economy 

 

9:30 – 10:30

Opening Panel: Confidence in the Nigerian Economy: sustainable solutions to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

 
  • In order to finance its economic emergence, expanded transport, energy and digital infrastructure and to become a manufacturing powerhouse, Nigeria needs substantially higher levels of FDI. At the same time, due to recent economic challenges, the country has seen some foreign investors disinvest from Nigeria. How can an investment climate characterised by predictability and transparency be cemented in Nigeria? What improvements to the business environment can enhance the trust in the Nigerian market? What role can investment agreements – like the Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement (SIFA) – and preferential trade policy (AfCFTA/GTI, EPA) play in attracting the much needed investment.
 
  • Moderator:  Mr Ugodre Obi-Chukwu, Founder & CEO Nairametrics
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Panellists:

  • Mr Olayemi Cardoso, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
  • (Dr) Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment
  • Ms Maria Martin-Prat, Deputy Director General, Directorate General for Trade, European Commission
  • Ms Ingrid Thijssen, President of the Confederation of Netherlands’ Industry and Employers
  • Mr Frederik Klinke, Vice President, Eurocham Nigeria / CEO APM Terminals

 

10:30 – 11:30

Digitalisation Leapfrog (40 min panel – 20 min Q&A)

 
  • As much of the real economy of Nigeria experiences turbulence, digital sector stands out as the one with a dynamic growth potential. Nigeria already is Africa’s digitalisation leader, but for a country of over 200 million, 70% of which is youth, that’s not enough. Could digitalisation help Nigeria reignite the economy and create much needed employment? The demand for ICT skills and services is high, both in Nigeria and outside, offering outsourcing opportunities. In a dynamic entrepreneurial environment, the government’s role is to create a level playing field and the rules of the game, and much has already been done on that front, but infrastructure is lagging behind requiring more substantial investment. Can Development Finance Institutions help bridge the financing gap and attract private capital in a challenging fiscal and economic environment? This session will address these and other opportunities and challenges facing Nigeria’s digital sector.
 
  • Ms Oladoyin Olawaiye, Head of Entrepreneurship Ecosystem, GIZ
 
 
Panellists:
  • Dr Bosun Tijani, Hon. Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy – Strategic Blueprint for Digitalisation
  • Mr Charles Emembolu, Chairman, Innovation Support Network (ISN) Hubs – Innovation Potential of Nigerian Business
  • Ms Adedoyin Odunfa, MD/CEO, Digital Jewels – Digital Capacity of Nigerian Businesses and Digital Security
  • Mr Marco Rebecchi, Country Manager, Nokia Nigeria – Laying Down the Groundwork
  • Ms Ann Temidara, COO, Asseco Nigeria – Navigating the Nigerian market
  • Mr Roger Stuart, Head of the Regional Office, European Investment Bank (EIB) – Digital Infrastructure Financing, opportunities and challenges
 

11:30 – 12:00

Coffee break

12:00 - 13:00

Healthy Economies Thrive (40 min panel – 20 min Q&A)

  • African market(s) for medicines and vaccines is growing together with its population yet currently, less than 1% of Africa’s vaccines are locally manufactured. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is struggling with counterfeit, falsified and substandard products and also faces numerous national development challenges including inadequate healthcare infrastructure, high disease burden, and limited access to quality healthcare services and products. Maternal mortality rate is 512/100,000 live births (1 in 9 maternal deaths worldwide), Infant mortality rate is 67/1,000 (8% of the global total) and Child mortality rate is 132/1,000 (approx. 1 million deaths per year). However, strategic investments in health have the potential to address these challenges and drive sustainable economic growth. The government of Nigeria has consequently made this a priority and set out a Strategic Vision for the Health Sector (2023 – 2026). The EU through a global initiative, backed by EUR 1billion from the EU budget and European development finance institutions, will help create an enabling environment for local pharmaceutical and health technology manufacturing in Africa and tackle barriers on both supply and demand sides.  This session aims to explore the intersection of health and business in Nigeria, focusing on how targeted health investments can contribute to national development and economic prosperity.

 

  • Moderator: Mrs Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director, Nigeria Health Watch

Panellists:

  • Muhammad Ali Pate, Hon. Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare
  • Dr. Funke Asiru, Director of Strategy and Transformation, Emzor Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited
  • Dominiek Viaene, CEO, Protex Healthcare
  • Dr Temitope AGBANA, Co-founder & CEO AiDx Medical, The Netherlands
 
 

13:00 – 14:00

From Agriculture to Agribusiness (40 min panel – 20 min Q&A)

  • Nigerian agriculture employs some 35% of the population, but its contribution to GDP is only of around 25%, due to smallholder farming dominating the sector and hence, low productivity. The productivity growth rate of the sector is falling behind the population growth, pointing to the growing food insecurity. While the government is taking measures to address the most urgent needs of the population, a structural change in the sector is needed for the desired development of the sector, with an increased productivity, quality and value addition. Can the private sector provide an answer to that? The Nigerian agricultural sector is mired by multiple challenges, not least as both a victim and a perpetrator of climate change and environmental degradation. Agribusinesses are taking great risks in venturing into production and processing, and yet there is a number of them, both local and European taking the challenge head on. The session will look into the ways in which they can be supported to bring on the sector transformation, growth and create decent employment for youth and women.

 

  • Moderator: Ms Precious Jacdonmi, Technical Advisor, Advocacy, International Exchange, Gender and Communications, GIZ Global Package AgSys

 

Panellists:

  • Hon. Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, – Transforming Nigerian Agriculture for Productivity
  • Ms Aisha Hadejia, Partner, Sahel Consulting – Productivity-profit-jobs-livelihoods Nexus
  • Mr Olakunle Olusanya, Executive Director Legal, Public Affairs and General Secretary – Fan Milk & Danone Nigeria, Nigerian Dairy Sector – a Business Case
  • Mr Vincent Egbe, Managing Director, GB Foods – The Case for Local Processing and Value Addition
  • Mr Roland Oroh, Agribusiness Register/EU-NG Agribusiness Platform – Agricultural Entrepreneurship Potential and Challenges
  • Mr Rodrigo Madrazo, CEO, EDFI MC – Nigeria Nexus Widow – Access to Finance for Agribusinesses and Renewable Energy for Rural Productive Uses
 

14:00 – 14:30

Closing panel

  • Hon. Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu
  • Mr Yomi Onifade, Vice President, Eurocham Nigeria / MD ALLIANZ
  • Hon. (Dr) Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment

 

14:30

Lunch

Side-sessions

  Time

Location

Dairy workshop

10:30 – 11:30

Breakout room 3

Access to Markets

12:00 – 13:00

Breakout room 3

E-governance workshop

13:00 – 14:00

Breakout room 3

Health panel

13:00 – 14:00

Breakout room 2

Access to Finance Info Point

14:00 – 14:30

Breakout room 2

B2B lounge

Open

Room 1

Signing ceremonies

EuroCham grant

14:45 – 15:00

EU – EuroCham

NASIRA guarantee 

15:15 – 15:30

FCMB – the Netherlands

Agri-business Platform

15:45 – 16:00

EU – NG Agri-business Register