The first edition of the Nigeria-Egypt Trade Conference and Exhibition (NETCE) kicks off today in Cairo, Egypt, and the theme of the two-day conference is, “For Africa, Through Africa, Exploring the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The conference was organized by the forum: The Nigerian-Egyptian Cultural and Socio-Economic Forum (NECSEF) in cooperation with the Embassy of Nigeria in Cairo, and the Egyptian-African Businessmen Association (EABA) under the auspices of the Egyptian government.
Speaking at the conference, Mahmoud Ahmadu, President of NECSEF, welcomed all delegates to NETCE 2022 during his opening speech saying, “we have had to postpone this meeting twice but we are excited that it is happening and it provides unlimited opportunities for us to boost trade between Nigeria and Egypt to an enviable new level. The conference will bring together government ministers, governors and ambassadors from Nigeria and Egypt along with more than 300 delegates, visitors and exhibitors.”
Among the confirmed speakers at the event is Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai; Minister of State for Works and Housing Omar Ibrahim Al-Yacoub; Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamou; Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Mariam Kattagum; Executive Director/CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Dr. Ezra Yakozak; Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, Ms. Saratu Omar; and Dr. Kassem Gidado, representing the Nigeria-Arabian Gulf Chamber of Commerce.
Other dignitaries are: Dr. Yousry El Sharkawy, Chairman of the Association’s Board of Directors. Walid Gamal El-Din, President of the General Authority for the Economic Zone of the Suez Canal, Sherif El-Gabaly; Chairman of the Board of Directors for African Affairs, the Egyptian House of Representatives, and Eng. Tarek El-Gammal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Redcon Contracting Company.
Within the two days in Old Cairo, businessmen and women from Africa’s two largest economies will be participating in business-to-business sessions, exchanging ideas and attending exhibitions from participating Nigerian and Egyptian companies, who will be showcasing their products and services. The tour, scheduled for October 12, will allow Nigerian participants to learn about the industrial environment and the latest technologies in Egypt. Earlier yesterday, the organization took advantage of the gathering opportunity to open its corporate office in Cairo, where the building is located on the site of Online Integrated Solutions (OIS); a multinational company also owned by Mahmoud Ahmadu, which provides services to Nigeria and Nigerian foreign missions in the diaspora and the NECSE.
