Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has made significant strides in attracting $100million investments to his state at the Foreign Investment Network (FIN) Deal Room/MoU Signing Ceremony and Forbes Best of Africa Award held at the Forbes Center in New York at the sideline of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in the United States.
During the ceremony, Governor Zulum accepted to collaborate with the International Data Center Authority (IDCA) to develop digital infrastructure and boost sustainable digital economies in Africa.
The IDCA Chairman and CEO, Mehdi Paryavi, also emphasized Africa’s vast potential, citing projections of $4 trillion in GDP by 2028, saying that “Africa needs substantial investments to reach its destiny.”
Other MoUs facilitated by FIN include: agreements between Borno State Government and GTIF Capital to collaborate on investments and development projects in esports, technology, healthcare, media, and branding;
African Tourism Union to promote tourism, trade, and investment in Borno State through joint initiatives; Altitude Water to deploy Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs) in Borno State and The Philanthropist to raise funds for Youth Education in Borno State.
It is instructive to note that FIN also signed MoUs with Asian-African Chamber of Commerce & Industry – USA and Japan Chapter and 99 Infosystems to promote trade, investment, and economic development between Africa and Asia, and to promote AI technology solutions in African countries.
At the memorable event , Governor Zulum also received the Forbes Best of Africa Leadership and Inclusion Champion Award in recognition of his commitment to rebuilding Borno State after the Boko Haram insurgency.
According to the organisers, the nomination of Governor Zulum for the award is in recognition of his efforts in Inclusive Emergency Response, Cultural Sensitivity, Social Cohesion, Equitable Resource Allocation
and Community Engagement.
In his acceptance speech delivered by his Chief Adviser, Dr. Mairo Mandara, Governor Zulum highlighted some of his key achievements to include:
* Education: Establishing schools for girls, advocating for women’s education, and enrolling over 800,000 children in schools.
* Infrastructure: Building houses in Local Government Headquarters and closing all formal IDP camps in Maiduguri township
* Economic Development: Exploring collaborations in solar power assembly, food security, and digital economy.
The event was attended by notable figures, including Hon. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, former Nigerian Minister of Finance, Budget & National Planning, Dr. Abbey of World Liberty TV, the world’s fastest growing TV and other top dignitaries.
Other prominent personalities at the event included Hon. Martin Gama Abucha, Minister of Mining, Republic of South Sudan;
Dr. Cosmas Pitia Kujjo, Undersecretary to the Minister of Mining, South Sudan; Moses Engadu, Secretary-General of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), Charles Mutama, MD of Chirandu Consulting LLC;
Phuong Skovgaard, Vice President, FIN and
Kenneth Bereghah VP, FIN.
The Borno Governor further invited investors to explore opportunities in Borno State on the grounds of its vast land and huge population, saying that its potential for growth and development is second to none in Nigeria.
Speaking on the essence of the event, the Chairperson of FIN, Dr Olayinka Fayomi, said, “The event demonstrated FIN’s commitment to facilitating partnerships and investments in Africa. With these agreements, the continent is poised for significant economic growth and development.”
Preceding the Deal Room/MoU Signing Ceremony, FIN hosted its 4th International Trade and Investment Forum on September 25, 2024, in collaboration with the African Business Round Table.
The event with a theme titled”Power for Africa,” also featured esteemed speakers including Dr. Mairo Mandara, Chief Adviser to Governor Zulum; Dr. Olayinka Fayomi, Chairperson, FIN; Mehdi Paryavi, Chairman and CEO, IDCA; Curtis Smith, President, African Tourism Union; Jeff Szur, CEO, Altitude Water; Mimi Ishio, Co-founder, Japan Global Leaders and Dr. Monica Grant, CEO, 99 Infosystems
FIN also hosted the Global Fashion Industry Summit with a theme titled: “Innovating Fashion: Bridging Culture, Fashion, and Sustainability,” while the event featured the following distinguished speakers: Alejandra Geithner, CEO of Geithner Media; Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, Mandate Secretary, Women Affairs Secretariat, FCTA; Vera Lovici, Sustainable Fashion Entrepreneur; Manel Mauvais, CEO, Radartec; Marisol Guzman, Tech Scientist; David Chen, Panda Tech Media Celebrity; Carole Mbessa, Co-founder & CEO, Business Facilities Corporation Group SA; Beatriz Franck, Founder & CEO, Befran Lda Group; Andreas Deutschmann, Managing Director, Avalon Securities Ltd; Ashley Rodriguez, Model and Media Influencer; Simona Dirt, Sustainable Fashion Entrepreneur & Media Celebrity; Jeff Szur, Sustainable Entrepreneur and Enzo Di Taranto, President, Xzen Technologies INC.
