U.S COMMITTED TO NIGERIA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH, SAYS CONSUL-GENERAL

Photo Caption: From left, Bola Adeeko, Head, Shared Services Division, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Ms. Darcy Zotter, Public Affairs Officer, United State Consulate General Lagos; Oscar Onyema, Chief Executive, NSE; John Bray, United States Consul General in Lagos; U.S Consulate Political and Economic Section Chief, Tat Osman Lagos, Nigeria, and Pai Gamde, Group Head, Human Resources, NSE during the Closing Gong Ceremony at the Exchange on Monday, January 29, 2018, in Lagos.

United States Consul-General, F. John Bray, on Monday in Lagos, expressed his country’s deep commitment to the growth and development of Nigeria’s private sector and economy.
Bray, who was at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to perform the closing gong ceremony, said both the government and private sector of his country are committed helping Nigeria as it continues to seek new avenues of economic growth and development.

The reason for this, he continued is not far-fetched, given that the “more Nigeria’s economy grows, the better it is for both Nigerian and American businesses.”
Open and transparent financial exchanges, he stressed, “are an example of a society’s broader commitment to the rule of law and sanctity of contracts.”

He also applauded leaders of the NSE for “the tireless efforts in meeting the needs of the Nigerian investor community and playing a critical role in Nigeria’s economic growth.
“Our concern and interest is for Nigeria’s economy to grow,” he told newsmen during a chat immediately after closing the market.
The U.S. Government, the Consul-General assured, “maintains a limited number of Binational Commission (BNC) relationships with nations, demonstrating a high degree of friendship, trust, and cooperation. As one of our most important partners in Africa, Nigeria is one of those nations.”

Fielding questions from newsmen afterwards, Bray assured that the overriding interest is about how to grow the Nigerian economy more significantly, while ensuring wealth redistribution for the good of the majority.
“During the Bi-National Commission (BNC) meetings in Abuja last November, Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan pledged the United States committed to expanding cooperation with Nigeria as we look to the future.

“During his visit, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, formalized the U.S.–Nigeria Commercial and Investment Dialogue that will help to develop stronger business networks between our countries and help frame subsequent discussions under our Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, to be led by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative,” he stressed further.
The visit, he added, was to enable him familiarize and learn first-hand how the NSE is operated, its “successes and challenges in this exciting economy.

“I know that last year was a very successful year as the NSE was ranked amongst the top five performers in 2017; projections indicate that 2018 will be an equally successful year. Let’s hope that’s the case, for the growth of the NSE means more private capital in the local market for business expansion and new business start-ups.”

Welcoming the visitors to the trading floor earlier, Onyema assured that the NSE management had in earlier discussion with the visitors centred around greater collaboration between both nations for the growth and development of companies quoted on the bourse, as well as areas like corporate social responsibility.

http://investdata.com.ng/2018/01/u-s-committed-nigerias-economic-growth-says-consul-general/