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’ívoire to discuss and take learnings from 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 C suite executives from the Company; Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President, Nigeria; Alhaji Abudulsalam Rabiu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BUA Group; Akinwunmi Adesina, President, Africa Development Bank; Akin Dawodu, Chief Executive Officer, Citi Nigeria, will be sharing 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 countries 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.
Some of the panel themes in the 2018 edition of the Africa CEO Forum include, The New Nigerian Economy; Reinventing African Business; Gas: A $2000 BN Opportunity which will be discussed by industry experts such as Wale Tinubu.
Wale, a fervent speaker at similar events like the World Economic Forum, Davos, World Economic Forum, Africa and the FT Summit, will share his experiences on the best ways to exploit gas deposits in Africa as well as the opportunities and challenges that exists within the Nigerian Gas space.
Wale is best placed to speak on gas because Oando who are also Oil & Gas industry sponsors at the Forum, pioneered the private sector distribution of natural gas to industrial and commercial consumers across Nigeria through its midstream Gas and Power business.
The midstream business formerly known as Oando Gas and Power, now Axxela, has over 128 kilometres of pipeline supplying gas to over 165 industrial customers in Lagos, the commercial hub of West Africa.
Tapping into the mixed pool of talents in Oando, the Company’s other executives also in attendance will participate on a number of strategic workshops including ‘How can Digital Transformation Deliver Impact’ and ‘Young CEO Workshop’.
These workshops create an opportunity to brainstorm and network for realignment in creating a better Africa.
Leaders of economies including George Weah, President, Liberia; Emmerson Mnangagwa, President, Zimbabwe; Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana will be speaking at the ‘Doing Business’ in their specific countries sessions designed to give deeper insights into doing business in the various countries they govern.
The Africa CEO Forum which attracts over 800 participants every year has strengthened private investment on the continent; 80 per cent of participants in 2017 identified or closed on new business deals at the Forum.
The organisers of the event, Jeune Afrique Media Group, are optimistic of the outcome of the 2018 edition of the Forum and call for more African participation in the future as the onus is on Africans to develop Africa.
