Think Creative - Issue 7

The Nigerian Minister for Women’s Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen, was one of the marquee speakers at the Trade Hub’s launch.

Chief of Party Michael Clements speaks to the press after the event. He highlighted the Trade Hub’s commitment to leaving a sustainable social impact.

More than 250Nigerian government officials, business executives and other stakeholders officially launched theWest Africa Trade and Investment Hub, which seeks to bolster trade, employment and innovation in key sectors. The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, kicked off the Jan. 28 launch by high- lighting the Trade Hub’s commitment to forging partnerships withWest Africa’s private sector and creating 40,000 new, sustainable jobs in West Africa. “These partnerships support Nigeria’s efforts to expand its economy, with a focus on non-oil sectors with high growth potential, notably the agriculture sector,” she told the audience. Building the agriculture industry’s produc- tivity and resiliency are among the issues the USAID–funded project aims to tackle. With its doors now formally open, the Trade Hub is a five-year activity, implemented by Creative and several partners, that will attract private finance and investment, build links among businesses and strengthen trade inNigeria, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Niger, Ghana and other West African countries. As part of the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative called Feed the Fu- ture, the Trade Hub aims, with its partnerships and investments, tomake smallholder farmers

sector,” Creative’s President and CEO, Leland Kruvant, told attendees. Building on existing relationships and forging new ones, the Trade Hub’s partnerships are in- tended in part to “reduce Nigeria’s dependence on staple crops like rice and other agricultural goods,” said Cheryl Anderson, the Deputy Assistant Administrator for USAID’s Africa Bureau. In addition to the agriculture sector, the Trade Hub’s partnerships will target deals in the apparel, aquaculture and service industries. Governor Ayade emphasized the importance of relationships. “For once we have a country giving us partner- ship, not aid,” he said. “Agriculture is the new oil” Senator Ina Etang, one of the Nigerian gov- ernment officials at the launch, addressed the audience with these words: “Agriculture is the new oil.” This pithy statement underscores the potential for growth in the agriculture sector inWest Africa, particularly Nigeria. The Trade Hub’s activities will primarily target themaize, soy, cowpea, rice and aquaculture value chains. Lack of access to capital, low productivity and isolation have prevented

more food secure and raise household incomes. This initiative “is in a sense far more spiritual than economic; it is about the essence of hu- manity,” said Cross River Governor Ben Ayade at the Trade Hub’s launch. “We needmoney and technical support for small-scale farmers. Then they will begin to feel a sense of pride.” The energy around the event was palpable, as speakers highlighted the immense potential Nigeria has for economic growth and leadership in the region. Home to half of West Africa’s pop- ulation, Nigeria is positioned to transform its economy into an agricultural powerhouse and a The Trade Hub hopes to foster innovation and challenge the private sector tomeet the demand of international markets, while improving its citizens’ livelihoods. As part of Prosper Africa, the U.S. government’s initiative to boost trade among the United States and African countries, the Trade Hub will administer $60million in co-investment grant funds, ameasure that ex- pects to attract a projected $300million in new private-sector investments. “Prosper Africa represents a new and innovative framework that seeks to liberate andmobilize the talents and capabilities of Africa’s private world-recognized exporter. Not aid but partnership

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