Adeyemi Abdulkareem
President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to facilitating smoother trade for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) throughout Africa. Tinubu made this commitment during the Africa International Trade Exhibition (AITE) 2023’s Business, Trade, and Investment Summit on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session.
Tunde MacAlabi, Chairman of the Organising Committee for the Business, Trade, and Investment Summit, conveyed this information in a statement on Monday. The summit, organized by MacAlabi, Prof. Tai Balofin (President of Nigerian Progressive Professionals), and Khuraira Musa (CEO of K-Pro Consulting of New York), saw President Tinubu represented by Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, the Minister of Trade and Investment. Tinubu assured investors of the Federal Government’s commitment to facilitating smoother trade within the country.
Earlier, Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, encouraged both foreign and local investors to tap into Nigeria’s substantial population, air traffic, and thriving aviation sector. Keyamo emphasized the need for world-class Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities in Nigeria, pointing out the scarcity of such facilities in West Africa. He highlighted the current practice where domestic airline operators send their aircraft overseas for maintenance, resulting in lengthy delays.
Khuraira Musa, author of “The Audacity of an African Girl” and President of the Arewa Development Support Initiative (ADSI), underscored the event’s goal of attracting investors to Nigeria. She stressed the importance of establishing industries within Nigeria to process and manufacture raw materials, creating job opportunities for the nation’s youth and women. Musa emphasized the need to shift away from exporting raw materials at low prices, which perpetuates poverty.
Prominent figures in attendance included FCT Minister of State Mariya Mahmud, Sen. Ireti Kingibe, Osun Governor’s wife Titiola Adeleke, Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada Amb. Adeyinka Asekun, and others.
