Oando Leads Nigeria Delegation at Africa CEO Forum

• Tonye Cole to share road map for Nigerian economy

Heads of States, public decision-makers, bankers, capital investors as well as African and international corporate leaders are today gathered at the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, to discuss and take lessons from the success stories of the African private sector as well as dialogue and propose strategic solutions regarding the development of African enterprise and markets.

Nigerian representatives including Wale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc, alongside other executives from the company; Olusegun Obasanjo, former president of Nigeria; Alhaji Abudulsalam Rabiu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BUA Group; Akinwunmi Adesina, President, Africa Development Bank; Akin Dawodu, Chief Executive Officer, Citi Nigeria, would be share their experiences and the Nigerian perspective at the two-day event.

Africa CEO Forum is the foremost annual meeting of the private sector in Africa.

The event has recorded over 3,000 participating businesses from over 63 countries since its first edition in 2012 and continues to grow in popularity as an important setting for public-private sector dialogue.

The forum presents CEO’s and investors with the opportunity to meet high-level government officials of African counties to gain deeper insights into economic development strategies on subjects ranging from the business environment to the most important public and private investment projects being implemented in their countries. The forum also serves as a platform for attendees to expand their network of high-level business contacts, promote their companies, take and share country and sector specific business learnings, identify new financial partners and be a driving force in the development of Africa’s private sector.

Meanwhile, Sahara Group co-founder and Executive Director, Tonye Cole, will draw global attention to the need for diversification and collaboration in the quest for sustaining Nigeria’s economic growth at the Africa CEO Forum which commences on March 26 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

Cole will join a panel discussion on ‘The New Nigerian Economy,” which is expected to focus on some of the milestones achieved by the oil-rich nation as well as the recurring challenges associated with 50 years of oil wealth dependency.

Speaking ahead of the event, Cole said: “The architecture for diversification in any sector must include a design for diversification and production in volumes that satisfy domestic and international buyer appetite. We still do not have a solid blueprint for this. What we have is a strong opportunity to repurpose and reposition Nigeria as a globally recognised economic powerhouse.”

Cole added: “If we are going to sustain the momentum, the political class should end its suspicion of the private sector players and instead seek opportunities for developing shared values and interests. We need continuing collaboration between the government and business community to achieve sustained economic growth.”

He listed a number of factors which bode well for diversification not just in Nigeria but Africa at large including, economic reforms, dynamic and youthful entrepreneurial spirit and the sheer size of the population.

Nigerian music and film are generally considered to be its greatest export to the rest of the continent and possibly the most inelastic in terms of consumer demand.