The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, and Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun have come out to explain reasons why they did not attend the US-Nigeria Investment Summit 2018 held in Washington DC.
The US-Nigeria investment programme which was organized by the Nigerian embassy in Washington DC on Saturday had in absentia key Nigerian officials including the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and other key stakeholders.
The duo noted that the summit was not part of their schedule in Washington DC and was only informed about the summit when they arrived the US.
Earlier, the Emir of Kano, and former Governor CBN, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, had expressed his dissatisfaction that there were no government officials on ground when he arrived for the summit.
He noted that their absence was not good for Nigeria’s efforts to attract investment opportunities into the country.
In His words:
“You invite top investors, your ministers are in Washington and they do not come to talk to the investors about Nigeria. That is not how you attract investors.”
The event which was scheduled to be an interactive meeting between the Nigerian government and the US business community had in attendance Wilbur Ross, United State Secretary of Commerce; Sergio Pimenta, IFC Regional Vice President ( Middle East and Africa); C.D Glin, President and CEO, U.S African Development Foundation ((USADF).