NIGER AND 6 OTHER STATES TO BENEFIT FROM $60 MILLION USAID FUND

THE WEST AFRICA TRADE AND INVESTMENT HUB 

Niger and 6 Other States To Benefit From $60 Million USAID Fund

The West Africa Trade and Investment Hub bridged skills and investment gaps for West African firms in agriculture and apparel that met key quality requirements. 

The project trained more than 11,000 West Africans to improve product quality, financial management, and marketing approaches while convincing buyers and financial lenders to be first movers in emerging West African industries. 

The Trade Hub also successfully advocated to clear a longstanding bureaucratic obstacle in seven countries and constructed foundational documents for new regional trade policies.

The $60 Million USAID-funded West Africa Trade and Investment Hub in Nigeria was officially launched at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on Tuesday 28 January, 2020.

As part of it's Feed the Future initiative, the trade hub will primarily target interventions that will strengthen 5 value chains within 7 states in Nigeria.

The states are ; Niger, Kaduna, Kebbi, Benue, Delta, Ebonyi and Cross River State respectively. The 5 value chains are ;

1. Maize

2. Rice

3. Soy

4. Cowpea

And 5. Aquaculture.

The trade hub will create 40,000 new jobs in agriculture, apparel and other industries with at least 50% dedicated to women.

In generating private Investment, all thanks to it's co-investment fund, the hub will work with the private sector and other partners to generate an estimated$300 million in private Investment.

To promote trade, the hub will support the private sector to increase regional and international trade, particularly to the United State via African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

The trade hub has the opportunity to work in all ECOWAS countries in Western Africa. It will never the less focus on key countries of : Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal and Cote d'ivoire.

According to Niger State Commissioner of Investment, Commerce and Industry, Dr. Mustapha Jibril, the investment opportunities in the state are as diverse as its landmass, arable land, abundant human and natural resources, which is why the government of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello is determined to harness its full optimization for economic development and industrialization.

Stressing that, shortlisting the State wasn't a coincidence but as a result of Mr. Governor's political will of making Niger a business-friendly haven.

Signed

Fodio Ahmed

29 January, 2020