President Muhammadu Buhari will today (Friday) leave Abuja for London to participate in a one-day inaugural United Kingdom-Africa Investment Summit on Monday, January 20, 2020.
A statement by the president’s media adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the event would be hosted by the British Prime Minister, Mr. Boris Johnson.
According to Adesina, the event, as explained by its organizers, is expected to bring together African leaders, international business chief executives and heads of international organizations “to create new partnerships that will deliver more investments and jobs.”
The event, according to the statement, is expected to be beneficial to Africans and businesses on the continent as well as the United Kingdom.
Adesina also said apart from highlighting new perspectives on UK-Africa Partnership for Prosperity, issues of sustainable finance and infrastructure; trade and investment; future African growth sectors and clean energy and climate, are expected to dominate presentations and discussions during the summit.
The statement also said with the expected take-off of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in mid-2020, the London investment summit would provide Nigeria with the opportunity to project itself as a leading investment destination for new industries.
It also said the summit would deepen Nigeria-United Kingdom investment ties post-Brexit, moreso that Africa currently represents only two percent of the British trade activities, while Nigeria accounts for only 10 percent of that total.
The statement added: “The Nigerian delegation to the investment meeting will further showcase what the Federal Government has done through policies and legislation to improve the investment and business climate in the country.
“While in the United Kingdom, President Buhari will hold a meeting with the Head of the Commonwealth, Prince Charles in Glasgow, Scotland.
“The President and his delegation will also have bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Johnson as well as heads of multilateral organizations,” the statement added.
Adesina said Buhari would be accompanied to the summit by Governors Yahaya Bello, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya and Okezie Ikpeazu of Kogi, Gombe, and Abia state respectively.
Others listed to be on the presidential entourage are the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Niyi Adebayo; the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed; the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd); and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.
The statement said Buhari would return to Abuja next Thursday.
Source: THISDAY
