Osinbajo leads U.S. roadshow to lure investors in ICT, entertainment sectors
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is leading a public-private sector collaborative investment roadshow to the U.S., where he will be speaking to global industry leaders in information technology and entertainment.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande, on Sunday said the event would be at the Silicon Valley in San Francisco and Hollywood in Los Angeles, California.
According to Akande the events would hold between July 9 and July 11, 2018.
He said Osinbajo would be joined on the investment roadshow by members of the recently inaugurated Advisory Group on Technology and Creativity, a sub-unit of the National Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council.
The aim, Akande stated would be to primarily showcase the improvement in Nigeria’s business environment to entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders in both cities of the U.S.
Akande disclosed that Osinbajo would emphasize on a number of the Buhari administration’s policies such as the Ease of Doing Business reforms, which have improved the country’s ranking in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index 2017.
He recalled that in the ranking Nigeria climbed up 24 places and was placed on the list of 10 most reformed economies globally.
Also, the report noted that Nigeria made significant progress across several indicators comprising starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity and property registration.
Others are getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, and resolving insolvency.
Akande stated that the Vice President would also visit the headquarters of some leading global technology companies adding that there would be sessions with investors, Fund Managers and large U.S. technology companies.
Also the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), the Bank of Industry (BOI), and the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat would make presentations.
The Vice Presidential spokesman said other aspects of Osinbajo’s trip would be to showcase the strides in the country’s technology, innovation and creative space by Nigerian technology start-ups and entertainment industry practitioners.
Akande also said during the trip, some leading Nigerian start-ups would be making pitches about their ideas and products so as to promote investment by U.S. companies in Nigeria’s technology and creativity sector.
“It would also focus on collaboration between Nigerian and US companies in the areas of technology and entertainment, including further cooperation between Nigeria’s film industry, Nollywood, and U.S. Hollywood in the areas of production, distribution and content protection.
“”Another objective of the investment mission is to attract Africans in the Diaspora to mentor and support start-ups in Nigeria,’’ Akande said.
He said Osinbajo was being accompanied on the trip by the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Okey Enelamah and the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs, Dr Adeyemi Dipeolu.
Others are senior government officials from the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council, Nigeria Export Promotion Council, Ease of Doing Business Secretariat among others.
Akande said that the Vice President, who left Nigeria on Saturday would return to the country on July 12.
