LAGOS: The Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Nigeria and ECOWAS in collaboration with EU Member States diplomatic missions in Nigeria is organizingthe 7th edition of the EU–Nigeria Business Forum (EUNBF) which will take place in Lagos on 4th of October, 2018 at the Grand Ball Room, Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The EUNBF is a business event designed to bring European and Nigerian investors and companies together with policy makers to discuss business opportunities and address bottlenecks to inward investments. The 2018 edition is tagged “Building Partnerships for Growth and Job Creation” and divided into 3 sessions:focus on the launch of the European Business Organisation in Nigeria, discussion on the Circular Economy and Exploring Opportunities for Nigeria and lastly, leveraging innovative financial instruments to attract investments to Nigeria.
The first session will focus on the launch of the European Business Organisation (EBO) in Nigeria. The EBO is a global initiative of European Companies which seeks better business environment in the host countries for their investors towards increasing investments and creating jobs locally.
The launch of the EBO in Nigeria means integration into a network of over 35 key global markets,supporting Nigeria’s goal of identifying obstacles towardsimproving in the ease of doing business ranking and proffering solutions to these challenges. The keynote presentations on “Why an EBO in Nigeria?” will be delivered by Mrs Folashade AMBROSE-MEDEBEM, the President, European Business Organisation (EBO) Nigeria.
The second session titled “Circular Economy and Exploring Opportunities for Nigeria” will explore the strategy towards identifying the opportunities for Nigeria in the circular economy. According to His Excellency, Vice President Yemi OSINBAJO “plastic pollution is an environmental epidemic due to its impact to fisheries, tourism and biodiversity in the country.” Single-use plastics have been said to take between 500 to 1000 years to degrade with the unrecycled plastics estimated in excess of 4.5 billon tonnes.With the boom in Nigeria’s telecommunications industry also comes the challenge of disposal of e-waste but also provides an economic opportunity.
The EU has adopted an ambitious Circular Economy Action Plan towards, amongst others, making all plastics packaging recyclable by 2030. Therefore, recycling of electrical and electronic products and opportunities for Nigeria in the circular economy will be discussed extensively during this session.
The third session on “Leveraging Innovative Financial Instruments to Attract Investments to Nigeria” will explain how the External Investment Plan (EIP) works and identify opportunities for partnership in its implementation. It will also discuss other financial instruments and tools offered by development banks and international financial institutions that contribute to attract investments to Nigeria.
The program which starts by 8am will have series of interactive sessions and end by 4:30pm. According to the organizers of this year’s event, conference participants can register online at https://www.eunbf.com/copy-of-registration.
