The maiden edition of Nigeria–Egypt Trade Conference and Exhibition (NETCE) is set to begin today in Cairo, Egypt.
The conference scheduled to hold for two days having its theme, “For Africa, By Africa, exploring the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)” is organised by the Nigeria-Egypt Cultural and Socio-Economic Forum (NECSEF) in collaboration with the Embassy of Nigeria in Cairo, Egyptian African Businessmen’s Association (EABA) under the auspices of the Government of Egypt.
Speaking on the conference, President of NECSEF, Mahmood Ahmadu, welcomed all delegates to NETCE 2022. According to him: “Twice we have had to postpone this meeting but we are excited it is happening and it is providing limitless opportunities for us to enhance trade between Nigeria and Egypt to a new and enviable height.’’
The conference would host government ministers, governors, ambassadors from Nigeria and Egypt along with over 300 delegates, visitors and exhibitors.
Confirmed speakers at the event include Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai of Kaduna State; Minister of State for Works and Housing, Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub; Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu; Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Mariam Katagum; the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Dr Ezra Yakuzak; the Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, Mrs Saratu Umar, and Dr Kassim Gidado, representing Nigeria-Arabian Gulf Chamber of Commerce.
Others are: Dr Yousry El Sharkawy, chairman of EABA; Walid Gamal El Din, Chairman of the General Authority, Economic Zone, Suez Canal; Dr Sherif El-Gabaly, Chairman, African Affairs, Egyptian House of Representatives and Engr. Tarek El Gammal, Chairman, Redcon Construction.
Businessmen and women from Africa’s two largest economies will participate in Business-to-Business sessions over the course of two days in the historic city of Cairo, exchange ideas, and visit exhibitions from participating Nigerian and Egyptian enterprises presenting their goods and services
The Nigerian participants will have the opportunity to learn about Egypt’s industrial setting and cutting-edge technologies during an industrial trip scheduled for October 12. The organization used the event to officially open its Cairo corporate office earlier on Sunday. Online Integrated Solutions (OIS), a global business that Mahmood Ahmadu also owns and that is housed in the same building, offers services to NECSE, Nigerians in the Diaspora, and foreign embassies of Nigeria.
Nura Abba Rimi, the Nigerian ambassador to Egypt, stated during the event that the current value of trade between the two nations is $141 million.
He expressed confidence that Nigeria would be prepared to work toward increasing bilateral trade with Egypt to much higher levels with the successful implementation of reforms promoting efficiency and transparency in the business environment as well as economic diversification into practical sectors like agriculture, mining, and manufacturing.
According to the ambassador, the two nations may benefit from the rapid population expansion and the size of the two largest economies in Africa.
