President Bola Tinubu is billed to speak at the Africa International Trade Exhibition program, during the 78th United Nations General Assembly, UNGA in New York.

The Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the Business, Trade, and Investment Summit component of the Exhibition program, Tunde MacAlabi, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

According to the statement, the meeting will take place on September 21 at the prestigious Hilton Hotel located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, Midtown, Manhattan, New York, at 11:00 AM.

The statement added that Mr MacAlabi, who is the CEO of T-BYK Ventures will be joined by notable figures such as Prof. Tai Balofin, President of Nigerian Progressive Professionals, and Khuraira Musa, CEO of K-Pro Consulting of New York and President of the Arewa Development Support Initiative, ADSI, a nongovernmental organization for empowering youths and women in Northern Nigeria.

Ms Musa, a serial entrepreneur and author of the ‘Audacity of an African Child’, an autobiography that chronicles the struggles of her disadvantaged childhood, will co-anchor the session.

During the program, Mr Tinubu, who will serve as the Special Guest of Honour, is expected to deliver a goodwill message to a distinguished gathering of North American and Nigerian political leaders, as well as key figures from the private sector.

“The Africa International Trade Exhibition (A.I.T.E) program is designed as a complementary private sector initiative to the US-Africa Leaders annual summit, with the aim of fostering closer socio-economic ties between the United States and Africa through enhanced commercial engagement.

“Under the theme, “The Imperative of Global Trade for African SMEs as a Game Changer for the Future Prosperity of the Continent,” the A.I.T.E USA 2023 program will address critical issues, including the urgent need to extend the AGOA (African Growth and Opportunity Act) beyond 2025, when the current act is set to expire. The AGOA Act, enacted in 2000, has played a pivotal role in benefiting African exporters.

“Highlighting the significance of the African SME sector, which engages approximately 80% of the African population, the program underscores the importance of expanding market opportunities to diversify foreign exchange earnings for Nigeria. The A.I.T.E fully supports the “beyond oil policy” and the economic recovery and growth plan of the Federal Government.

“This event promises to be a vital platform for discussions, collaborations, and strategies that will contribute to the economic development and prosperity of Nigeria and its partners,” the statement added.