Fireside Chat on the Sidelines of the US-
Africa Leaders Summit, Washington, DC

The much anticipated U.S – Africa Leaders’ Summit has held in Washington, The United States
of America from the 13th to 15th of December. Expectedly, it drew considerable media attention
and significant number of stakeholders working on Africa-related issues globally. The event was a corollary to President Obama’s 2014 summit, and signals a return of US foreign policy focus on Africa aimed at strengthening US trade and diplomatic relations in the region. The Nigerian Professionals Network (NPN) hosted a convening on the margins of the Summit on December 17, 2022, in Washington, DC.

Building on Africa’s rising profile as a haven of entrepreneurial and technical professionals, the convening was set to distill key opportunities and takeaways from the U.S.-Africa Summit whilst elevating African professionals’ engagements to fashion out innovative solutions and maximize opportunities in the aftermath of the summit. The summit, undoubtedly, underscores the importance of U.S.-Africa relations and increased cooperation on shared global priorities and we are poised to seize the opportunities in portends.

The convening was graced by the Africa Union Ambassador to the United States, Amb. Hilda Suka-Mafudze, as the keynote speaker. In her remarks, she underscored that the summit would mark a significant and seismic shift in the US-Africa relations as the United States appears to have seen a vital national interest in revamping its relationship with Africa.

She expressed optimism in the implementation and financing of the multifarious initiatives announced during the summit across board – both regional, bilateral and in the private sector. The Ambassador highlighted the significance of President Biden’s support for Africa Union’s bid to join the G20 as a permanent member and his reiteration of US support for UN Security Council reform to add a member from the African Continent. Also, the pledged $55 billion (15 billion being additional commitment) two way trade and investment commitments and partnerships will support the African Union’s Agenda 2063 by investing in human capital development, agriculture and infrastructure in ways that advance US-Africa shared priorities.

Panelists were drawn from Nigerian professionals with wide-ranging expertise and versatility in international development, energy policy, regional trade & investments, and global talent and mobility within the United States, South Africa, and Nigeria. Panelists and sessions provided interesting insights on industry opportunities – for private sector engagement in energy and trade, especially with the AfCFTA now in place – and where African Diasporan professionals can harness the wins of the summit. Overall discussions centered around moving from aid to trade and investments to unlock the potential of the private sector to the benefit of all countries. Young and established professionals also benefited from requisite guidance and best practices in career positioning and advancement.

Following the summit, it is hoped, among other benefits, that the Nigerian Government would draw substantially from the outcomes and agreements signed with US companies and investors to address clean and reliable energy supply, job creation, knowledge and technology transfer, engineering procurement and human capital development. 

The outcome of the NPN convening demonstrates a paradigm shift and realization that Africa is critical to advancing global priorities, and the wide-spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation of the twenty-first century African continent is central to global economy and international order.