By Shola Adebanke
The recently concluded Fidelity International Trade & Creative Connect (FITCC) in Houston, Texas, marked a significant stride in promoting Nigerian enterprises and advancing the non-oil export sector. Oluwafemi Royal Aliu, a prominent figure in the panel on Promoting Sustainable Sourcing in Africa, highlighted the pivotal role of technology in fostering sustainability in Africa’s trade and export.
With over 160 Nigerian businesses showcased and more than 2000 registered attendees during the two-day event on October 24 and 25, FITCC has become a flagship platform for fostering collaboration and growth within the Nigerian business landscape.
Oluwafemi, known for his involvement with ThriveAgro, an agtech company in Nigeria, emphasized the importance of digitizing logistics and supply chain networks to ensure transparency in trade. In his address, he advocated for the adoption of technologies such as blockchain to enhance export supply chain and traceability. He further showcased ThriveAgro’s role in leveraging technology to boost productivity in the agricultural sector, promoting economic fairness among key players like traders, aggregators, and smallholder farmers.
Oluwafemi also highlighted the need for a robust adjustment to the current policy framework and emphasized the importance of enhancing public-private partnerships to address infrastructural gaps affecting sustainable practices in Nigeria. The event also featured insights from other esteemed speakers, including Timi Oke (CEO, AgroEKnor), Hauwa Bako Mohammed (SA on Social Investment Programme to the Governor of Niger State), and Peter van den Hengel (Director of International Trade, Johnvents Group).
Fidelity Bank, the driving force behind FITCC, has a strong commitment to supporting non-oil export and trade advocacy. The bank’s efforts in this realm have been recognized with awards such as Best Payment Solution Provider Nigeria 2023 and Best SME Bank Nigeria 2022 by the Global Banking and Finance Awards. Additionally, Fidelity Bank has earned accolades like ‘Fastest Growing Bank’ and ‘MSME & Entrepreneurship Financing Bank of the Year’ at the 2021 BusinessDay Banks awards, among others.
The success of FITCC and the valuable contributions of speakers like Oluwafemi Royal Aliu underscore the pivotal role of technology in driving sustainability and growth in Africa’s trade and export sector. As the event concludes, the momentum generated is set to propel Nigerian enterprises to new heights in the global market.