By Bassey Udo
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Olayemi Cardoso; Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, are billed to participate in the high-level fireside dialogue scheduled for 7th Africa Emerging Markets Forum in Abuja.
The two-day dialogue scheduled for the CBN Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday and Thursday, would be hosted by CBN in collaboration with the Emerging Markets Forum (EMF) and the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA).
The Forum is expected to provide a platform for senior policymakers, central bankers, ministers, development partners, private-sector leaders and leading economists from Africa and around the world to converge on to examine practical policy responses to an increasingly uncertain global economic environment.
The theme of the Forum will be: “Building Resilience Amidst Geoeconomic Uncertainties,” with both Cardoso and Okonjo-Iweala expected to make presentations exploring how African economies can build resilience, sustain reform momentum, deepen regional integration and unlock long-term growth, amid an increasingly fragmented global economy.
The organisers said in a statement on Sunday that the 7th Africa Emerging Markets Forum will also feature ministerial keynote addresses by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, and the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Kingsley Udeh, to underscore the importance of coordinated fiscal, monetary and innovation policies in advancing Africa’s economic transformation and long-term resilience.
Other distinguished participants expected at the Forum include the Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for Development Economics at the World Bank Group, Indermit Gill; Founding Director and Chief Executive of the Emerging Markets Forum, Harinder Kohli; the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Professor Adamu Ahmed, alongside senior policymakers, academics, development partners and business leaders from across Africa and beyond.
Over the two days, participants will examine a wide range of issues critical to the future of emerging markets, including macroeconomic stability, regional economic integration, cross-border payments, financial technology, infrastructure, foreign direct investment, technology transfer, artificial intelligence, and the interconnected challenges of food price volatility, inflation and monetary policy transmission in fragile and post-crisis economies.
The 7th Africa Emerging Markets Forum, the organisers said, aims to foster open dialogue on issues of strategic importance to emerging markets and developing economies while identifying practical policy solutions that could be adapted to the unique circumstances of individual countries.
“The Forum underscores the shared commitment of the Central Bank of Nigeria and its partners to strengthening regional cooperation, advancing evidence-based policymaking and promoting innovative solutions that enhance Africa’s resilience and support sustainable, inclusive economic growth,” the organisers added.
