NEW YORK CITY – The US Nigeria Council (USNC), a business organization dedicated to deepening commercial ties between the US and Nigeria, hosted a roundtable breakfast in New York City on Tuesday, September 25th. The event took place on the margins of the 73rd UN General Assembly and gathered over forty-five leading Nigerian and American business executives and high-level public officials. Further to USNC’s mission to promote bilateral business partnership and growth, the breakfast focused on entrepreneurial investment in the technology and innovation ecosystem.
Hosted by Chairman Ambassador Terence McCulley, Co-Chair John Coumantaros of Flour Mills of Nigeria, and Executive Director Eliot Pence, the Council’s breakfast served as a forum for connecting investors with potential investees to mobilize capital for Nigerian start-ups and companies. The event brought together a range of ecosystem players to discuss innovation and entrepreneurial partnerships in technology. Executive Director Eliot Pence commented on the role of USNC in bringing together influential entrepreneurs to combat market challenges, stating “Capital is one barrier, market access is another. USNC bridges that gap.”
HM Okey Enelamah, Nigerian Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, attended the event and addressed the crowd about the crucial need to leverage technology to address local challenges as well as efforts by the Nigerian government to strengthen the enabling environment for businesses to operate. HM Enelamah commended the Council for its work, stating “Nigeria stands to benefit from your effort.” He also spoke to the power of partnership and the exceptional stature of the “serial entrepreneur” members of USNC, adding “if you are looking for courage in business, it’s found in this room.”
The commitment of USNC members was represented by the participation of Herbert Wigwe of Access Bank PLC; Wale Tinubu of Oando; Kola Aina of Ventures Platform; Tunde Folawiyo of Yinka Folawiyo Group; Ambassador John Negroponte of McLarty Associates; Christina Sass of Andela; Femi Akinware of Exchange Telecommunications Ltd; and Mamadou Beye of Chevron. Throughout the breakfast, members from various sectors shared updates, such as Ventures Platform’s remarks on its recently announced Corporate Leaders Fund that aims to increase market access by investing in start-ups. Other notable attendees included Kayode Pitan, CEO of Bank of Industry of Nigeria; Yewande Sadiku, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission; Nigerian NBA star Festus Ezeli and executives from Renaissance Capital, Lateral Capital, Bechtel International Inc., Zephyr Management, and Lori Systems.