2025 Conference Information

AFRICAN WORLD EXPO FORUM

EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND OUTCOMES

Wayne County, County Executive and County Commission Support.

Greater understanding of how to connect, relate and do business with the U.S.

Solutions to Challenges, inhibiting U.S. – Africa trade, and investment links.

Identifying relevant business and partnerships for investment opportunities and funds

Creation of alliances between African participants, U.S. and African American businesses.

We will facilitate engaging dialogue between government and business leaders from the U.S. and Africa, to unveil initiatives and projects in key areas such as Economic Development, Trade, Business, and Investment.

Enable networking opportunities for participants to set up partnerships and collaborations during the Forum

Provide a platform for the signing of trade agreement and investment commitments.

Produce post-event reports detailing outcomes, agreements reached and future action plans.

Presentation of a Special Session About the Sister City, County and State Relationship, to provide the Platform to Foster Trade and Investment.

After years of talk on the African Growth and Opportunity Act. (AGOA) The current conditions will create a severe blow on foreign trade and sustainable industrialization in Africa. Affected African countries, face job losses and earning opportunities

The current situation reinforces the power politics of the old colonial power in Africa. Due to unfair trade relations and the conditions in Africa, African leaders and agencies should play a better role in enhancing Africa trade, indigenous industrialization, investment, cultural exchange and a strong bond with African Americans. These deliverables encompass a comprehensive approach to the African World Expo project, ensuring a well-rounded and impactful event that promotes economic growth, collaboration and meaningful partnerships between the U.S.- Africa and Wayne County.

Sister County, City and State Relationship.

Benefit of countries, working through Sister City, County or State Relationship can lead to collaboration on Strategic direction, Technology, Economic Opportunities, Access to local Resources, Networking, Developing International Connections and Jobs.

PLANNED MEETINGS, WILL BE WITH THE FOLLOWING LISTED INDIVIDUALS IN THE U.S., WHO ARE KEY GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS LEADERS, READY TO DISCUSS AND FINALIZE BUSINESS DEALS, WITH THEIR COUNTERPARTS FROM AFRICA.

U.S. Small Business Administration.

Discussion, strategic path for small businesses to acquire needed resources to thrive, be successful in building up our communities. Motivate and drive the people to collaborate, grow and create a strong bond for people to come together to promote, growth, opportunity and economic development.

U.S. Electric services: Invitation of Energy Service Company, based in Detroit to speak about the development and management of energy related businesses and services in the United States and Canada.

logistics, Global supply chain (General Motors, Ford, Stellantis Motors) Worked with Nigerian Government officials in areas of Trade, Logistics, Transportation, Security, Seaport Management and Best Practice. Worked with Members of Congress, White House, Federal, Foreign, and local Government on public policy issues, support for Africa, Caribbean Island for bilateral reconstruction activities.

Accomplished global automotive engineer and business executive, entrepreneur. He is MD of motoring Venture, LLC, a private capital investment operations and growth advisory firm. Hightower led General Motor’s $15 billion global cross over business. He also serves as CEO and President of Lords town Motors Corporation and Equipment manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (EVs). Extensive experience in emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America’s sustainable industrialization, building Entrepreneurs, creating jobs and driving the world’s next Economic Frontier.

Director AV and Mobility Strategy, Ford Motor Company, a $150 Billion company, collaborating with key stake holders. She served as Executive VP of production creation, engineering, and supply chain. She will showcase how you take U.S. Technology and African Resources to the next level to produce, process added value, trade, and export. Global Director, technology and strategy planning at Ford Motors and enhanced Fords Stem Strategy. Created a culture of innovation and connecting new technology and innovation that were created at Silicon Valley to Ford winning portfolio. She has held multiple leadership positions, including National Society of Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, and FAAN (Fords African Ancestry Network).

Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing CO. LTD, will meet with two former top General Motors and one Ford Motors Company Executives to discuss and take advantage of the new United States opportunities of the connected vehicle supply chain rule and other joint venture opportunities in the Auto. Industry and in addition he will visit key retail stores in the U.S. to discuss possible Trade and Investment opportunities in the plastic industry, for the innoson plastic company in Nigeria. Innoson Plastic Manufacturing Products, include the following, PLASTIC CONTAINERS, HOUSE HOLD PLASTIC FURNITURES. TRAFIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT, TRASH CANS, TYRES AUTO PARTS AND MANY MORE.

J.C. Watts Companies, one of the largest lobbying groups in the United States, is a multi-industry business, headquarter in Washington DC. with operations in Oklahoma, Texas, Massachusetts, and Korea. The J.C. Watts Companies owns and operates several business units that provide services ranging from consulting to construction, project management, training, equipment sales (mining) and service, for example, John Deer Company one of the largest manufacturers of Mining equipment for solid minerals and other mineral resources. His partner J.C. Watts is the former U.S. Congressman from Oklahoma. Along with the Congressman, founded the Congressional Trade and Support Caucus, a Congressional Initiative aimed at increasing economic and Cultural relations with African Nations. This is a better choice for African Countries seeking key relationships with the U.S. to pursue. There are powerful African Americans in Congress, including a leader and sixty-two members. He led Senior Congressional Staff and Congressional delegates to Botswana, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Morocco, and Mali, which included over 50 U.S. corporate leaders. Elroy served in numerous capacities through the government at the Federal and State level, Washington DC.

Friends of Detroit City, International Airport, Community Development Corp. The airport is a gold mine for a joint Venture, between Wayne County and Detroit to establish an aviation link, say for example with a State in Nigeria that include technical advisory, joint training, technology, with men and women in aviation. The airport covers more than 300 acres of land, which includes, two runways, air carrier terminal, executive terminal, including 14 large hangers and small hangers and opening up a world and sky of possibilities, including tourism.

Rickman Enterprise Group, a leading Environmental and industrial Service Company.

Former State of Michigan, Director of Trade, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Former Director, Africa and Europe, U.S. Department of Transportation.

Chair, Michigan Wayne County Commission.

Wayne County Executive.

Former Consul U.S. Embassy, the Gambia.

African World Expo will present a special session on U.S. – Africa Private Sector/ Investment and ways to build human capacity through advance technology.

FROM NIGERIA:

Government and Business leaders will speak about the following:

U.S.-Africa and African American Companies connecting to create global economic prosperity, jobs and peace.

Meeting with the manufacturers of mining equipment for solid minerals and other mineral resources, to be sure the mining sector becomes a significant pillar of Nigeria’s Economic development.

Senate Committee on Trade and Investment, will meet with key business and Government leaders from Wayne County, City of Detroit and the State of Michigan.

Ace Medicare Hospital and Clinics, collaborating with hospitals and doctors in the U.S, Michigan in particular to provide medical Education, Professional Development, Management solution to specific medical needs. Putting together a plan to be implemented for an affordable and comprehensive medical service for communities that need such help. Other areas include, technological innovation and information technology.

Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce

Follow-up implementation about Chip manufacturing plant in Detroit, Wayne County and an African initiative.

Agriculture and Community Development. Managing, Controlling, Production, Exporting, Storage and distributing African Products and Food in the United States. AYAN RICE FARM:

In addition, we will link Nigerian companies with their counterparts in the U.S. to form an investment development partnership, that could set up a project in the U.S. using resources in the U.S. and Nigeria and then ship some of the finished product to Nigeria, while some are sold in the U.S. to create economic and financial benefit to the U.S., African Americans, Nigeria and Nigerians in the United States.

KEY NOTES:

Wayne County Commission Chair, specifically asked about the type of collaboration that could be set up between Africa, (Nigeria in particular) and Wayne County to establish a mutually beneficial economic development project. We will address the question and provide the answer prior to and during the 2025 Conference. We will have meetings at the County to discuss and put together the way forward with proposed projects, for investment opportunities between the U.S. and Nigeria. During the meeting, the Wayne County Economic Development Director, said he could assist in making the proposed project become a reality with Nigeria.