Key West Africa trade gathering takes place in Lagos

GTR, the global financial services information provider, were delighted to host the West Africa Trade & Export Finance Conference 2015, in Lagos, Nigeria, at the Eko Convention Centre on the February 4-5.

This two-day conference attracted over 300 business leaders and provided extensive networking opportunities for domestic and international financial institutions; local SME and global corporates; lawyers; policy makers, and specialist trade finance risk analysts.

The conference opened with a keynote address by Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, who addressed key issues in sustaining the Nigerian economy. This was followed by a case study in developing domestic and regional investment by Olakunle Alake, Chief Finance Officer of the Dangote Group.

As the biggest trade and export finance gathering in West Africa, the conference brought together decision makers from some of the country’s biggest corporate players, including Adewale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive of Oando, and Kola Karim, Group Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Shoreline Energy International – as well as other niche industry specialists – to give their unique insights into today’s market. The conference also attracted many local and international delegates from the banking and financial services sectors to discuss liquidity challenges, corporate demand for capital, the impact of changing global trade flows and specific industry case studies.

“Nigeria’s economy has flourished of late with optimism growing in many sectors,” says the producer of the event, Paul Greetham. “This conference brought together the people that really make a difference in the market to discuss new strategies, address industry opportunities and to strategically align their export policies with international financing standards.”

With so many high-level delegates in attendance, networking was a key feature throughout the day. With specific networking lunches, an evening drinks reception and numerous breaks, there was ample opportunity for anyone serious about doing business in West Africa to create new business contacts and build relationships with the market’s main players.

“The annual West Africa trade and export finance conference has rightly become a flagship event within the GTR calendar,” says Peter Gubbins, Managing Director of GTR. “Many delegates and supporters return year after year and have helped develop this key industry gathering into a hotbed of contemporary discussion and unrivalled networking. We look forward to facilitating business in the region for many years to come.”