ARF - AFIDEP

AFIDEP & SOF News Letter Series Two, 1st August 2016
www.afidep.com & www.sidioshofoundation.org
African Regional Forum (ARF), Pre-Event of the 2 nd African Development Investment
Convention (ADIC) 20 th -21st October 2016, Kloten-Zh, Switzerland.
African Infrastructure Development Partnership (AFIDEP) in partnership with Sidi
Osho Foundation (SOF) organized a Pre- Event on the 21 st July 2016 in Best Western
Hotel, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
This forum brought together public and private sector participants in Nigeria.
This News Letter summarizes the report of the Pre
Event activities.
African Infrastructure Development Partnership (AFIDEP) is a Swiss-based organization contributing to
African development with a focus on win-win for all parties. AFIDEP poses to reduce African challenges, curb
poverty, migration and terrorism through collaborative investment.
AFIDEF will
s and
private businesses besides promoting business relationship with reputable organizations globally. AFIDEF is a
platform where African public and private sectors, entrepreneurs, innovators, small, medium and large
enterprises as well as global investors meet to seek sustainable joint ventures.
The day started off with Mrs. Yinka Olaniyan, Principal Consultant of Service Pro Ltd anchoring the program
of events and Sir (Arc) Dipo Ajayi, Group Director; Axial Nigeria Ltd and Vice President Architectural
Council of Nigeria ARCON was the Chairman of Occasion.
Prof Sidi Osho, Board Member of AFIDEP/ADIC Advisory Board and President of Sidi Osho Foundation who
gave the welcome address recognized the Guest Speakers and Special Guests of Honour which include the
following:

Yves Nicolet, the Swiss Consul Generale

Dr. Dayo Ogunsola, the Executive Director of AFIDEP

Sir (Arc) Dipo Ajayi, the Group Director of Axial Nigeria Ltd.

Bishop F.E Benson Idahosa, the President of Benson Idahosa University (BIU)

Mr. Arabi Muhammad Tukur, the MD/CEO of Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA)

Dr. Mohammed Kyari, the Senior Scientific Coordinator of the Nigerian Regional Office of the
African Union.
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The Vice Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University, represented by Dr. Taidi Ekrakene
Prof Sidi Osho welcomed all dignitaries, guests, delegates, press-men and all participants to the event. She
commended the efforts of AFIDEP as timely, in bringing investment opportunities to African countries, and
thanked Dr. Dayo Ogunsola for inviting her to be a Board Member of AFIDEP, to drive the vision of a private
sector-driven economy in order to develop many African countries.
Prof Sidi Osho commended and appreciated the immense support of the Switzerland Embassy and the
Consulate Generale to Nigeria, though the persons of Yves Nicolet, the Consul General and Dr. Cavegn, the
Deputy Head of Mission for being a part of the event.
Sir (Arc) Dipo Ajayi,the Chairman of the Occasion described the Africa Infrastructure Development
Partnership (AFIDEP) as a
which is an agreement between
governments and private sector firms for the provision of public Infrastructure, facilities and services. Private
sector will invest in development financing ownership and operation of a public utility and service thus
leading to a sustainable economic growth of our nation. He emphazied that through focusing on solutions
through investment on infrastructure and sustainable projects to fight poverty there will be rapid
development in Africa. The outcome of the forum will be part of several collective calls to action for a better
Nigerian Private sector-driven economy. Other benefits of the projects impleneted in Africa though AFIDEF
will include:
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Industrialization
Infrastructural Development.
Construction of world-class facilities for aviation, heal care, education, manufacturing etc
Expanding links to global markets
Encouraging empowerment through collaboration.
Emphasis on women led business opportunities.
Development of agriculture-based enterprises.
Economy diversification which will help Nigeria to become more self-sustainable and a world
economic power.
Yves Nicolet; the Swiss Consul General, in his presentation educated the participants about the
demography, facts and figures, language diversity, etc. of Switzerland. He also elaborated the existing
diplomatic relationship between Switzerland and Nigeria. He further stated the commitment of the Swiss
Consulate to Nigeria, which include:
• The promotion of trade and investment with Nigeria
• To cooperate in this respect with the official trade and investment promotion agency of Switzerland,
Switzerland Global Enterprise (SGE).
• To revive the Nigerian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce (NSCC)
• To create a Swiss Business Council (SBC): in process.
• To collaborate with other Chambers of Commerce in Nigeria
• To substantially increase the number of Swiss investors in Nigeria.
• To provide Investment information and advice to Nigerian and Swiss investors promptly.
• To maintain close relationship with Swiss and Nigerian investors, private and public organizations.
According to Yves Nicolet, there are 40 Swiss firms registered in Nigeria. Switzerland has a huge capital
market and modern technologies. Nigeria has a huge market. Both will produce optimum harvest mutually.
Switzerland is therefore working towards ensuring its economic ties with Nigeria wax stronger.
He further reassured the participants at the forum that the Embassy of Switzerland in Abuja cooperates
strongly with the newly opened Consulate General to assist business operators interested in the Nigerian or
the Swiss market.
Dr. Dayo Ogunsola explained the mission and vision of AFIDEP is working towards collaborating to achieve
the goal of creating business values on all levels; in our communities, through our products and services,
through the way we conduct business in Africa. AFIDEP is influencing African governments to invest, to
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empower, to create partnerships and make development happen in African Countries despite scarce
resources.
AFIDEP will provide stakeholders all over the world to seek business opportunities about and information on
Africa thus creating wealth in African Countries through partnerships. He expressed his wish that the event
does not end with hot air and empty words, but with results and that lessons are learned, ideas are born,
deals are closed, and that you as an individual, and as a representative of your organization are inspired
to develop Africa through business.
He concluded by challenging the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA) to have a similar African Regional Forum
(ARF) organized in Abuja in order for the Public sector to submit profiles that will fit into the new
Government agenda.
Mr. Arabi Muhammad Tukur, the MD/CEO of Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA) gave an overview of AEA as a
collaborative initiative of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Small and Medium
Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) with support from UK Department For International
Development (DFID). The Abuja Enterprise Agency takes its origin from Federal Capital Economic
Empowerment & Development Strategy (FEEDS). FEEDS positions the AEA as the pre-eminent enterprise
development agency in the
economic development." AEA aims to provide excellent support for FCT residents by developing relevant
programmes and activities to start and nurture businesses. It also aims to create 100,000 jobs by 2015
Support 2,000 businesses annually, and encourage entrepreneurship in every home in the FCT
The agency specialises in the following:
 Small-scale processing equipment
 Finished product packaging materials
 Regulations
 Facilitation and training
 Hand-crafted extraction
The following are some of the objectives of the agency:
 To champion the awareness of the importance of entrepreunership within the FCT
 To provide excellent support services to new and existing businesses
 To encourage and promote ethical business practices amongst the local business community
 To facilitate access to finance for viable business proposals
 To support businesses to overcome barriers imposed by bureaucratic bottlenecks
 To encourage and promote the use of technology
Dr. Mohammed Kyari, also gave an overview of African Union office in Nigeria. It was established in
1965, the AU-STRC is an institution under the Department of Human Resources Science and Technology
(HRST) in the African Union. The AU-STRC has been the vanguard of promotion of science and technology in
the past five decades at continental level.
-STRC action is designed to
spearhead the role of science, technology and research in the integration, cooperation and development
priority pillars. Areas of priority action include the promotion of research in all field of science which can be
converted to invested opportunities for African countries.
The African Union Scientific Technical Research Commission aims to achieve the following:
 Identify the potential areas with comparative advantage in research and development
 Coordinate and promote the inter-Africa research activities and programmes
 Establishment of research partnership and networks
 Advance the programmes on the exchange of researchers and specialists among the AU member
states
 Promote best practices emanating from scientific and technological development applications
 Organise training programmes in scientific and technological development that includes technology
transfer and capacity building
 Mobilize resources and identify funding for research projects
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Conclusion and Closing of Event
The summit was concluded with questions from the participants, and were answered accordingly by the
guest speakers. These are some of the questions and answers that were raised:
1. How do we benefit from the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA)?
The AEA is open to all business enterprises, even though it is based in Abuja. There, interested individuals
with viable business plans and proposals can seek the attention of the AEA and they would be duly attended
to.
2. A participant requested for technical partnership with the AEA.
Mr. Arabi Muhammad Tukur replied that it would be noted and acted upon accordingly.
3. Some participants requested for more detailed information about Swiss-based investment
opportunities in Nigeria.
The Swiss Consul Generale replied that there are 40 Swiss firms based in Nigeria and are thriving well. He
also announced that a Swiss-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce has been proposed to be established, and that
the Swiss government is looking forward to a more fruitful bi-lateral relationship with Nigerian Government
and the Private Sector in Nigeria.
Prof Sidi Osho in wrap up of the event by elaborating that the absence of Nigerians in large numbers in the
last African Development Investment Convention prompted her appointment by Dr. Ogunsola to be a part of
the AFIDEP/ADIC Advisory Board. She received projects profiles from Nigeria and other African countries
such as Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Benin Republic, Guinea Conakry, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia,
Cameroun, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Niger Republic, Kenya, Tanzani, and Gabon which
seek partnership and investments form Switzerland and Golbal funds . She also stated that most of the
participants had duly filled and submitted their project profiles before the summit. According to her, Sidi
Osho Foundation (SOF) is representing the AFIDEP in Nigeria. She also added that, project profiles could
still be submitted after the forum because the deadline for the submission of project profiles would be on the
31st of August, 2016. The month of September would be for the processing of visas, to attend the African
Development investment Convention (ADIC) in Switzerland. She also stated that a business field trip would
be included for the Investment convention. She informed the participants at the forum that the SOF team are
available for the follow-up of interested participants.
The Chairman of the occasion, Sir (Arc) Dipo Ajayi brought the event to a close by stating that Nigeria is
pregnant, and would deliver very soon improved economy, reduce unemployment, poverty unrest and
creation of several business hubs will happen soon in Nigeria. He encouraged AFIDEP to ensure investment
opportunities of funds for viable projects in all the sectors of the Nigerian economy to ensure wealth
creation, improved infrastructure, technology advancement and development.
Certificates of Participation were awarded to the participants, by Dr. Dayo Ogunsola and Prof. Sidi Osho.
Over sixty (60) people attended this summit.
PHOTO SESSION: Speakers & Participants and Certificate of Participation
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Dr. Ogunsola
Prof Sidi Osho
Sir (Arc) Dipo Ajayi
Yves Nicolet, Swiss Consulate
Dr. Mohammed Kyari
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Mrs. Yinka Olaniyan
Mr. Arabi Tukur Muhammad
Group Photo
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Published by Publications Unit,
AFIDEP/SOF
ISBN NO 978-978-947-513-2
© AFIDEP/SOF 2016
All rights reserved
Printed in Nigeria
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