The U.S.’s interest and growth investments in current and emerging African economies continues to rise, but has only reached a small fraction of the untapped potential. The USAfrica Business Expo will help create access, which is fundamental to navigating and expanding into international markets.
In the past decade, trade agreements and investment opportunities between Africa and the U.S. have grown exponentially. According to EY Global’s 2018 Africa Attractiveness report, the U.S. made more Foreign Direct Investments into Africa than any other country in 2017.
In 2018, while FDI was generally low worldwide, Africa received roughly $46bn worth of FDI from the U.S., 11% up from 2017. To put it simply, the U.S. is interested in current and emerging markets of Africa. This interest continues to grow because such business relationships have been beneficial for both parties.
While the figures above might seem like significantly high numbers, they only represent a small fraction of what could be achieved. Most of these trade agreements and investments happen with large corporations, which does not represent the full potential output of Africa. While some African startups, especially in tech, have managed to raise international investment, these opportunities are not always available to all types of businesses.
The USAfrica Business Expo: A Level Field of Opportunity
There is a vast opportunity for stakeholders on all sides of the U.S. and Africa investment/trade agreements. However, navigating a foreign market and making the right connections is not an easy feat. The USAfrica Business Expo is organized to provide a level field where all interested parties- businesses, investors, governments, and their markets- can freely interact. Small businesses can get as much attention as big corporations with the opportunity to create beneficial connections.
In the same vein, we also have African investors and businesses with export-ready products with an interest in the U.S. markets. In 2017, the U.S. imported goods worth $24.9 billion from sub-Saharan African countries. These figures shows an opportunity for business owners to plug into this trade connection. This is so especially in the AGOA approved list of products; iron and steel, clothing and clothing materials, jewelry and jewelry parts, fruits, nuts, cocoa, and several other African products.
The USAfrica Business Expo is not just about raising investments or establishing trade. It all starts with creating access, which is the fundamental goal of this event. The expo will provide a common ground where businesses, governments, and their markets will be encouraged to create direct connections.
Who Can Benefit from the USAfrica Business Expo?
Everyone who is interested in expanding their business relationships from the U.S. to Africa and vice versa will benefit. The expo, through its seminars, workshops, and interactive sessions will be value added to B2Bs (Business to Business), B2Cs (Business to Consumers), B2Gs (Business to Government), and G2Bs (Government to Business).
This event has also placed special interest on Africans living in the U.S, (Diaspora African, African Americans and the Caribbean) who are interested in doing business in Africa. Our goal to help them maximize the vast opportunities in Africa by providing the enabling environment to make safe, secure, and reasonable purchases of properties, business shares, and so on.
For Africans living in the motherland (Africa), the opportunity to invest in U.S. businesses, make trades, and so on have not been fully maximized. While some individuals and corporations have been able to establish such business relationships, there are little to no pointers on how another person or group could do the same. These pointers can only be discovered through interaction and collaboration, which we hope to help promote at the expo.
The USAfrica Business Expo is not just about raising investments or establishing trade. It all starts with creating access, which is the fundamental goal of this event. The expo will provide a common ground where businesses, governments, and their markets will be encouraged to create direct connections.
Amazingly, the Expo will have great speakers to poise the participates with top notch information that matters today. Among the confirmed speakers are:
• H.E Benaoyagha Okoyen – Consul General, Nigerian Consulate New York
• Dr. CHERYL Hill – Special Advisor on Bilateral Trade & Investment
• HE Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao – African Union Ambassador to the U.S.A.
• Madam Afua Asare – CEO, Ghana Export Promotion Council
• Mr. Timothy McCray – Co-Host and Moderator Awards Dinner
• Gbenga Omotayo – Founder, Pacetas Agency & USAfricaHUB
• Fred Oladehinde – Chairman, AGOA Civil Society Network
• Mr. Lawrence Schaefer – Global Consultant on Agricbusiness
The expo will further deliver business and market intelligence, insight and tools through C-Suite executives, while government officials will discuss the latest policy and opportunities to enhance your global business expansion. To learn more or register, Click here.
For registration, exhibition and sponsorship, please visit or contact – 1-888-201-0447 and (917) 826 3566 or email – partner@usafricahub.com
Featured Image Source: USAFRICA