By Ngozi Onyeakusi– As part of efforts to draw attention to the economic opportunities in some of Nigeria’s industrial clusters and grow the Made in Nigeria mindset you, Ford Foundation and a group of experts and industrialists have come together to organize and sponsors an investment summit for Nnewi the manufacturing hub located at south-eastern part of Nigeria.

Pioneered by leading marketing communications agencies, TBWA\Concept Unit and C & F Porter Novelli, the Investment Summit, themed; Revitalizing the Manufacturing Hub of Africa, is designed to leverage the already thriving industrial and commercial activities in Nnewi and harness them for the wider economic development of Nigeria.

Expected to lead the conversations at the inaugural edition of the summit, which will hold on February 6 and 7 2020 in Nnewi, Anambra State Nigeria include: former Presidential candidate and Development Economist, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu; Ike Chioke, CEO Afrinvest Ltd and Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, West Africa Regional Director, Ford Foundation.

Speaking on the Summit, CEO, TBWA\Concept Unit, Mr. Kelechi Nwosu, said the Nnewi Industrial hub should further developed and should bepromoted as a model for economic growth in Anambra state andNigeria in general.

Nwosu noted that Nnewi is a unique town where young entrepreneurs and courageous artisans with limited formal education exploit their wit to create amazing stories of manufacturing and industrialization in Nigeria.

“The overall agenda of the summit is to draw the attention of stakeholders to the benefits of revitalisation and rebranding of Nnewi as an industrial hub in Africa by leveraging on its past glory and current potential. We are also expecting this Summit to startthe formation of alliance development that will create a blended intervention programme involving Policy makers, Private investors and Donor Organization (Philanthropists)” the marketing communications guru stated.

Sponsored by the Ford Foundation in partnership with the Nnewi Chamber of Commerce and Industries and Anambra Broadcasting Service, the two-day Summit is envisioned to drive the growth agenda for young indigenous businesses by outlining how they can scale with the right exposure, branding and capacity building projects.

Also speaking on the Summit, Chairman C & F Porter Novelli, Chief Nn’Emeka Maduegbuna said the event will be important in fostering collaboration among businesses to increase comparativeadvantage within Nnewi and environ.

While raising expectations that the Summit will attract foreign and local investors that would create jobs and have an impact on businesses in Nnewi and Nigeria at large, Maduegbuna said it will also seek to sensitize and create awareness for a new way of thinking that will create opportunities for young men and women within and outside the region while also generating better quality and quantity employment opportunities for young men and women via entrepreneurial activity and direct employment.