President Muhammadu Buhari, will be attending the inaugural UK-Africa Investment Summit in London while embarking on a six-day trip to London on Friday.
President Buhari is to depart Abuja on Friday for the summit which starts on Monday, January 20 and is expected back in Nigeria next Thursday,
The summit which is hosted by the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, is expected to bring together African leaders, international business chief executives and heads of international organisations.
According to the organizers, the summit is to engage African leaders and businessmen in discussions “to create new partnerships that will deliver more investments and jobs.”
The UK and Africa are expected to benefit from the outcomes of the talks.
It explained further,
“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 summit, with the expected take-off of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in mid-2020, will provide Nigeria with the opportunity to project itself as a leading investment destination for new industries.
In addition, the summit will deepen Nigeria-United Kingdom investment ties post-Brexit given that Africa currently represents just two per cent of British trade activity, with Nigeria accounting for only 10 per cent of that total.
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.
Adesina said that while in the United Kingdom, President Buhari will hold a meeting with the Head of the Commonwealth, Prince Charles in Glasgow, Scotland and as well as heads of multilateral organisations.
President Buhari in this his first foreign travel in 2020, will be accompanied to the Summit by Governors Yahaya Bello, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya and Okezie Ikpeazu of Kogi, Gombe and Abia States respectively.
Also on the presidential entourage are the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd); and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.
