President/CEO of the US African Development Foundation (USADF) Travis Adkins will visit Nigeria from October 16 – 20 following the recent trips of US Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo in September and the US Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Marisa Lago’s Global Diversity Export Initiative Trade Mission in August.
According to a press statement yesterday by the US Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria, Public Affairs Section, Lagos, Adkins’ visit underscores the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment, announced at the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit last year, to deepening economic engagement and trade and investment ties with the continent.
The USADF is an independent US government agency established by Congress to invest directly in African grassroots enterprises and social entrepreneurs. USADF’s investments increase incomes, revenues, and jobs by promoting self-reliance and market-based solutions to poverty.
In Abuja, Adkins will engage with USADF grantees in the agricultural value chain and learn about the impact of USADF’s work in tackling food insecurity, improving rural farmer livelihoods, and boosting the growth of agricultural enterprises. In addition, he will meet Green Village Energy Projects Limited, a USADF grant recipient and discuss US government support for expanding electricity generation in underserved communities through sustainable business models.
In Lagos, Adkins will deliver remarks at the All-On/USADF Conference, focusing on increasing access to energy. He will then tour the Sunhive Limited project site, another USADF grantee specializing in renewable energy. Adkins will visit the Field of Skills and Dreams Academy, where he will meet beneficiaries of the Lagos State-USADF Employability Programme that seeks to enhance and broaden vocational training initiatives to ensure that the Nigerian workforce possesses the requisite skills for a rapidly evolving job market. During a visit to Ady’s Food Mart, a Lagos-based agro-processing enterprise founded by an alumna of the US Department of State’s Academy for Women Entrepreneurs, Adkins will underscore the significance of seed funding in supporting women entrepreneurs to scale their businesses.
Speaking on his upcoming visit, Adkins noted that Nigeria houses the USADF’s largest country programme and encompasses the core programming pillars of agriculture and food security, women and youth entrepreneurship, vocational training and job creation, renewable energy access, and support for creative industries.
“I am excited to embark on my inaugural trip to Nigeria in my capacity as President/CEO of USADF. Nigeria holds tremendous significance on the African and global stages and is a critical partner of the US government in the region,” Adkins said. “We look forward to a vibrant week of engagements with USADF grantees and partners, US Embassy and Consulate counterparts, and officials from the Government of Nigeria.”
