Washington DC, April 19, 2018 — The US Nigeria Council (USNC), a business organization dedicated to deepening commercial ties between the US and Nigeria, held its annual Spring reception and members-dinner on the margin of the World Bank-IMF meetings in Washington DC. As part of the event, the Council introduced its new chairman, Terence McCulley, former US Ambassador to Nigeria. The Council reception had over 100 US and Nigerian senior executives in attendance. Nigerian Ambassador Sylvanus Nsofor participated in the reception and pledged embassy support for USNC efforts.
In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of the Council, Eliot Pence, said that the Council was founded to act as a convener, clearinghouse and catalyst for business and investment opportunities for US and Nigerian firms. He added that the reception and dinner was the fourth of its kind following successful dinners and receptions in Washington DC, New York and Lagos since its inception in 2016.
Speaking at the reception, Council Chairman, Ambassador McCulley, said that the US Nigeria Council “is the only group focused solely on facilitating US-Nigerian joint ventures and partnerships, and it has succeeded in meeting its goals, with deals emerging from every reception and dinner it has hosted.” He added that council is currently working with the Nigerian Ministry of Trade and Investment on industrialization efforts and have been helping one of its members, Zipline, advance its innovative project in Nigeria to deliver blood and essential medication via drones.
The reception was immediately followed by a business dinner targeted at driving deals and fostering stronger relationships between businesses. The Co-Chair of the council and Chairman of Flour Mills Nigeria, John Coumantaros, appreciated the presence of senior business executives at the dinner. He noted that the US Nigeria Council is laser-focused on deepening the US-Nigeria commercial partnerships at a critical time.
“At these dinners, we seek to uncover areas of shared interest and pave the way toward joint ventures, partnerships and diversified investments. USNC has supported entrepreneurs in Nigeria to grow. Tomato Jos, for example, has received additional investment that enabled the company to invest in irrigation, additional land and access the full range of support and expertise from agribusinesses like Flour Mills of Nigeria, but also other member companies” added John Coumantaros.
In his closing remarks, Ambassador McCulley noted that in five years, the Council can look back and say that the partnerships and relationships formed between U.S. and Nigerian members significantly and measurably contributed to Nigeria’s development, economic diversification, and job creation. He acknowledged founding members: Dangote Group, Oando, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, Chevron and the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority and the young entrepreneurs who attended the reception and dinner.