TRADE WITH AFRICA BUSINESS SUMMIT

Let me first share a few of the responsibilities I had in my "previous life" at Walmart. I share them because many still may not know why I built Nazaru LLC. and what drives this globally relevant work. At one point I was responsible for Apparel Merchandising Strategy Execution supporting the Chief Merchant and Sr. Vice President for Walmart Stores. In that role I coordinated cross-functional teams from all divisions needed to shift or adjust Apparel staging, distribution and sales at the 4,000+ stores in the U.S.A. From logistics to Supply Chain to Marketing, Store Ops, Merchants/Buyers e.t.c. I managed the execution of such portfolio projects for key decisions on brand retirement to New brand introduction from Corporate to the Stores. That role gave me insights on what it actually takes to move products at scale through the supply chain of the world's largest retailer.

I am excited to invite you to a global engagement on December 2nd, 2020 and also share with you information about our partnership with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in actualizing the #AfCFTA through the successful mobilization of Diaspora and Foreign Investor engagement in the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021). The IATF2021 is a unique event organized by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and hosted by the Government of Rwanda to provide a platform to actualize the AfCFTA. IATF2021 will provide entry into a single market of over 1.2 billion people joined together by the newly established African Continental Free Trade Area, serving as a marketplace bringing together continental and global buyers and sellers and showcasing goods and services.

I am a strategist, a visionary and a futurist. I served as a trusted adviser to top executives at Walmart and played important role in helping to craft the future of retail while I was there. The very solution that is helping Walmart WIN amid Covid-19 was designed and implemented more than 5 years ago! You see - Digital Disruption was top of mind for us even back then and merging the digital-physical experience for the Walmart customer was a priority as something that needed to happen! A pilot project for Walmart Grocery Pickup was first implemented in the fall of 2014 in Bentonville, Arkansas and I became an early adopter and blogged about it being a gamechanger - You can read my 5 year old post here - http://www.toyinumesiri.com/walmart-grocery-pickup

I invite you to join us for the THE NIGERIA INVESTMENT CONFERENCE (NIC) hosted by Nazaru LLC., a U.S.A based company that connects the world to African nations through trade and investment facilitation, market insights, trade events, consulting and training. This event is a gathering of investors, trade experts, policy makers, Nigerian diaspora leaders and innovators to accelerate trade & attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) to Nigeria. Theme of this edition is: Nigeria Beyond Oil: Growing Regional and Global Trade Under the #AfCFTA

On Saturday November 7th, I had the honor of serving as a featured speaker of both the Nebraska World Affairs Council (NEWAC) and Indiana Council on World Affairs. I began by sharing "Why Africa - Why Now" and then shifted to the region and sectors that held tremendous opportunities as well as how to engage. One of the slides I also shared during my presentation is the one below on how Nazaru and its various platforms and partnerships are well positioned to support those looking to engage in both regional (AfCFTA) and global trade with Africa.

For several years now, I have dedicated myself to bringing the most brilliant minds on Africa together to advance trade and investment - evidenced by our annual acclaimed Trade with Africa Business Summit, The AfCFTA Roundtable and other strategic engagements. As we continue to scale and improve on our service delivery to our global stakeholders, it is now more important than ever for us to focus primarily on businesses and individuals that seek to advance trade engagement, to grow and achieve their goals. I am happy to share a few ways that we are narrowing down to serve our growing community better.

Due to Covid-19 we have completed the move of all our engagements including B2B/B2G Trade events, Masterclasses, Live Workshops, Training, Exhibitions, Business Coaching, Exclusive Content to our 100% digital platform; www.nazaru.trade On Saturday October 31st, 2020, I delivered 3 hour session of the executive and Policy maker - African Trade and Investment Facilitation Masterclass to members of the Trade with Africa® Network. Watch a 5 minute clip from this class in below video:

I am excited to share a clip from one of our Trade and Investment Facilitation Masterclasses below. This Masterclass continues to be delivered in various forms to both government and private sector players to support them in unlocking and activating trade and investment opportunities in the region. Become a member of the Trade with Africa® Network today and immediately gain access to the next class which will be held this Saturday, October 31st, 2020 (9am - 12pm - CHICAGO CST). Bring your challenging trade and investment questions and also network with others. Watch clip below and join the Network HERE.

The past 3 months for us was packed full of various successful stakeholders engagements. From hosting the 3rd edition of the annual Trade with Africa Business Summit - with representation from various African countries including Morocco, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, to hosting the first ever "The AfCFTA Roundtable" with speakers and leaders from the World Bank, African Union, African Embassies and Consulate, Brookings and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) table and conducting multiple public and private sector trainings, consulting and Masterclasses to advance trade with Africa®.

4 years ago when we first launched our Exporter database we found that we were too early and the global landscape needed more dynamic engagement. We drew from lessons learned and embarked on a journey of engaging stakeholders at all levels on various platforms including our acclaimed Trade with Africa Business Summit and driving strategic engagement through our Trade with Africa® Network. We also continued to provide both tactical and strategic support to Clients through our consulting and training services.. It is a pleasure to invite you to list your business and as well as search our database to reach global strategic partners for your business and also gain exposure.

The AfCFTA Roundtable is a production of Nazaru LLC and it is designed as a quarterly engagement with leading figures at the forefront of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). The goal of the AfCFTA Roundtable is to galvanize, educate, sensitize and mobilize critical global support from Africans, Diaspora and Investors. The AfCFTA is the single most important trade initiative that will drive trade and investment across the African Continent over the next decade and beyond and I feel privileged to be playing a lead role in securing further engagement of both private and public sector in building the Africa we want. Watch the opening address delivered by Dr. Albert Zeufack, World Bank Chief Economist on Africa below.

On October 10th, 2020: Trade and Economic Officers from 14 African nations attended the Trade and Investment Facilitation Masterclass to boost their capacities. Nazaru LLC, a United States-based services company, delivered the online training ahead of the planned takeoff of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in January 2021. Participating countries included Uganda, Egypt, Lesotho, Mauritania, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Togo, Mauritius, the African Union, Namibia, Somalia, Mozambique, Algeria and Eswatini. The recipients of this training were drawn from institutions and organizations charged with facilitating the adoption and implementation of the #AfCFTA.

Access the transcript of our discussion with Ms. Rabia Alama, Managing Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Casablanca, Morocco during the 2020 Trade with Africa Business Summit.

Transcript: Toyin Umesiri: Welcome back to the second half of the Trade with Africa Business Summit 2020; The Virtual Edition. We are moving to the second half of today's event and our next speaker is an amazing connector and I'm just so much looking forward to the information she's bringing us today. Ms. Rabia Alama is the Managing Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Morocco and today she'll be sharing with us Trade and Investment Opportunities in Morocco.

While the world is laser focused on the U.S. - China trade war something equally significant that will reshape the global landscape for the next 30 to 50 years is emerging in Africa. With the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) entering into force, there is a repositioning of the continent that disrupts the old way of engaging with its individual nations. Power is being centralized in the African Union (AU) and those looking to enter commercially in the future would have to realign - should they seek to move with speed on their trade...

As students of history we understand why regional trade in Africa has been low; Colonization across Africa built trade routes that benefited entities outside of Africa to facilitate the movement of raw commodities from Africa to distant shores for processing before being brought back as finished products for consumption. From Oil to Coffee, Cocoa, Rubber, Cashew etc. Africa’s history is rooted in powering the rest of the world with its abundance of natural resources.

The Trade with Africa Business Summit has awarded President of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo, with the 2020 “Champion of Trade” Award for his role in driving inclusive trade in Ghana, across Africa and creating what is considered to be the world's fastest growing economy... read more

Following a successful launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Ambassador Albert Muchanga, African Union Commissioner for Trade and Industry was presented with the Champion of Trade Award at the 2nd edition of the Trade with Africa Business Summit in Chicago... read more

A statement issued by the bank on Monday said that its Managing Director on Intra-African Trade, Mrs Kanayo Awani said this at the “Trade with Africa Business Summit’’ in Chicago, United States of America. Awani said that efforts to open up African markets should be accompanied with industrialisation and capacity building initiatives to help African countries produce value-added goods... read more

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KNWA) — The inaugural “Trade with Africa Business Summit” kicked off Thursday in Bentonville. Global leaders, trade experts and policy representatives of several African countries are in Northwest Arkansas to engage U.S. businesses to accelerate economic growth for both regions... read more

Business and government dignitaries from more than a dozen African countries convened in Bentonville Thursday (May 10) at the state’s first Trade with Africa Summit — a two-day event spearheaded by Toyin Umesiri and sponsored by Walmart, Westrock Coffee Company, Tyson Foods and eight other business interests... read more

The African Import Export Bank (Afreximbank) has reiterated its commitment to integrate and transform African economies by promoting Intra-African trading.The bank’s Managing Director on Intra-African Trade, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, said in a statement released in Abuja on Monday that the bank made the commitment at the “Trade with Africa Business Summit” in Chicago, United States of America.

Trade With Africa awarded Amb. Albert Muchanga “the Champion of Trade 2019 Award”. Muchanga is the Commissioner for Trade and Industry of the African Union. He was being recognized for his achievements in promoting Intra-African Trade... read more

Kanayo Awani, Managing Director, Intra-African Trade Initiative, at the Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), has said improving market integration in Africa should be accompanied with increased industrial capacity. Speaking at a summit in Chicago Illinois, USA, Awani said this would facilitate competitive trade in value-added goods in the continent and globally... read more

Toyin Umesiri is an entrepreneur and the convener and founder of the Trade with Africa Business Summit. In 2017, she made the big leap from corporate America into full-time entrepreneurship to focus on increasing trade between the United States (US) and Africa.... read more

The African Union (AU) is set to send a high-powered delegation to the 2nd edition of the Trade with Africa Business Summit in Chicago. The delegation would be led by Ambassador Albert Muchanga, AU Trade Commissioner and Champion of Trade award recipient. Muchanga will deliver a resounding keynote address on AfCFTA... read more