'Gains of Nigeria's Planned Hosting of Economic Forum on Africa'

Federal Republic of Nigeria Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala's mother was abducted at the family's home on December 9, 2012. President Jonathan has ordered a national manhunt but no contact has been made by the culprits with the family., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

‘Gains of Nigeria’s planned hosting of economic forum on Africa’

Monday, 11 November 2013 22:00 Written by Mathias Okwe, (Assistant Business Editor, Abuja)
Nigerian Guardian

BARRING last minute hitches, on May 7, 2014, Nigeria will be playing host to global economic think tanks; business moguls and investors seeking to tap the abundant investment opportunities in the country, courtesy of the 24th World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa to be held at Abuja.

According to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, who briefed journalists yesterday in Abuja as part of activities to launch the media programme for the next year Forum in Nigeria, the selection of Nigeria as the host of the WEF on Africa was a show of confidence by the world in the Nigeria’s economy as a result of some critical economic successes recorded by the current administration such as the transparent power sector privatisation and other successful polices undertaken by the country.

She added that the WEF on Africa will bring together regional and global leaders to discuss innovative structural reforms and investments that can sustain the continent’s growth while creating jobs and prosperity for all its citizens.

Nigeria would become the first West African country to host the bi-yearly meeting which traditionally holds in Cape Town, South Africa and has only held outside South Africa in Tanzania and Ethiopia.

The Forum which will be jointly financed by the Davos, Switzerland based World Economic Forum; the Nigerian government and the private sector organisations in Nigeria will be meeting to proffer solution to Africa’s growth challenges under the theme: “Forging Inclusive Growth and Creating Jobs.”