This video explores the physical and socio-economic development of investing in Africa in order to improve the lives of Africans.

It explores ways (some tried and tested) that can propel African governments and citizens to achieve the optimum development of our beloved continent of Africa.

At the end of the commentary, we will give you more information about NPL Advisors and how we are working hard toward investing in Africa and contributing to Africa’s development.

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NPL Advisors is the financial adviser for Optiva Securities, a United Kingdom based mining and investment organization who wants to acquire mining licenses in Nigeria. A delegation from NPL Advisors and Optiva Securities recently paid a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in Abuja , Nigeria. The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Architect Olamilekan Adegbite and his Ministry Officials welcomed the delegation to his office.

Those at the meeting included, from the head of the table left to right, all sitting: [1] The Nigerian Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Architect Olamilekan Adegbite, [2] The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer NPL Advisors, Francis Nwokedi, [3] The Chief Executive Officer Optiva Securities Ltd, Christian Dennis, [4] The Technical Director Optiva Securities Ltd, Douglas Hamilton, [5] The Executive Director and Head of Oil and Gas NPL Advisors, Confidence Shielu, [6] The Corporate Finance Executive Optiva Securities Ltd, Mariela Jaho. Also at the meeting was the Executive Director and Head of Energy NPL Advisors, Duro Omogbenigun and Associate Director NPL Advisors, Michael Osu.

The Minister who expressed joy over Optiva Securities Ltd’s interest in Nigeria’s mining sector, stated that Nigeria has huge investment opportunities in the mining and minerals sector. The Federal Government is intensifying efforts at attracting direct foreign mining investment. He also told the delegation that Nigeria’s mining sector is now technology-driven and that it is now easy for investors to access information about the mining sector, apply for a licence and certificate online.

In his remarks, Francis Nwokedi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer NPL Advisors, said that even though Optiva Securities Ltd has invested in a number of projects across Africa, this was the first time that they were showing a keen interest in coming to Nigeria.

The Chief Executive Officer, Optiva Securities Ltd, Christian Dennis who led the team said that the company had been in Africa and added that they are on a fact-finding mission to Nigeria because of its key interest in exploring investment opportunities in the precious metals and battery metals sector.

Also speaking was the Director General, Abdulrazaz Garba, Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, NGSA, who commended Optiva Securities Ltd for expressing interest to invest in the mining sector. He told the delegation that the Federal Government has provided funds for massive exploration of the mineral potentials of the country. The seven minerals identified include Coal, Bitumen, Limestone, Iron Ore, Barites, Gold and Lead/Zinc Ore.

In another remark, the Director, Investment Promotion and Mineral Trade, IPMT, Yunusa Mohammed, noted that the visit of the investor is an indication that the Ministry’s effort at wooing and attracting international investors is yielding positive results.

The visit to the Ministry was on the heels of the ‘Mines and Money’ conference held by the Federal Government in London in December 2021 to woo investors to the country’s mining sector. The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Architect Olamilekan Adegbite enjoined the delegation to visit other Agencies of the Ministry, for them to grasp the mining potentials in the country.

The delegation then visited the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) where the Director General of the MCO, Engineer Obadiah Simon Nkom and his team welcomed them. He pledged the readiness of the country’s mineral licensing agency, the Mining Cadastre Office to collaborate with reputable investors in the organized private sector in order to achieve the mandate of the present administration in the mining sector, adding that Public-Private Partnership can drive huge investment into the mining sector. He said that the government collaborated with the World Bank to upgrade the agency’s system and it is compatible with the rest of the world, stating that with electronic Mining Cadastre (eMC+) application based system, a ready-made platform has been provided for investors all over the world to come on board.

On the successful completion of its mission, the members of the delegation returned to London, the United Kingdom and Lagos, Nigeria. In the weeks since the visit to Nigeria, NPL Advisors and Optiva securities have taken positive steps to actualize the venture.

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In the last four years, NPL Advisors has been working hard to engage public and private clients with regards to the development of much needed infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa. Our work and clients are important to the continent. The investment sectors that we focus on are: Agribusiness (processing); Real Estate (residential & commercial); Infrastructure (transportation, ports, aviation, railways); Power (including renewable energy); Oil & Gas; Mining; Technology (telecoms and fintech) and Financial Institutions (banks & insurance companies).

We are delighted with the amount of clients and projects in our books. The companies that we are working with have high impact and bankable projects that require public and private investment. For the project originators, the funds raised will assist them in delivering their visions and goals. For the investor, the yields generated and returns on investment can be great. Public-Private Partnerships can also address the infrastructure and economic deficit in the continent by building better, stronger and greener infrastructure.

A major move by African governments to promote intra-African trade is the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This agreement was created by African Union nations. It requires members to remove tariffs from 90% of goods, allowing free access to commodities, goods and services across the continent. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa estimates that the agreement will boost intra-African trade by 52% by 2022.

The world is now a global village linked by telecommunications and technology. The public-private partnership between governments and pharmaceutical companies and the developments in technology led to the speedy discovery of the COVID-19 vaccine which should now circumvent the virus. Life is going on, international trade has continued and each day, we learn new ways of living and working.

We at NPL Advisors will continue to work hard for the realisation of our clients’ projects and the economic expansion of sub-Saharan Africa. NPL Advisors have very experienced and seasoned advisors including Lawyers, Investment Bankers, Infrastructure, Energy and Technology Experts. We can structure, arrange deals and do the due diligence for the effective realization of projects. We are currently and actively looking for public and private investors to invest into scalable projects through debt, equity and mezzanine financing.

Are you a government agency, institutional or private investor looking for high impact and bankable projects to invest into in sub-Saharan Africa or are you a company or institution based in sub-Saharan Africa looking for inward investment? Please contact us on email: anwokedi@npladvisors.com and mobile: +44 (0) 7754 433 482. We are happy and ready to assist you.

In the meantime, keep and stay safe.

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There is constantly bad news in the media about coronavirus. However the good and positive news is that our developed and modern technology can play its saving role by keeping us all connected whilst working from home. There has been tremendous technological advancements in personal computers, tablets, mobile phones, television, radio and the internet.

During this time, we at NPL Advisors have been working from home. We have the necessary equipment needed to do this such as our laptops, tablets and mobile phones. We communicate regularly with co-workers and clients via emails, phone calls and texts. Then once a week, we hold a comprehensive directors meeting via a conference call.

Whilst working from home, you should take care of your health and safety. It is important to take regular breaks instead of sitting at a computer for a long time. After your working hours has been decided, you should do other things outside of these hours. Things like cooking, exercise, watching television and doing other things you enjoy.

Employees working from home and who have children to care for should agree a more flexible home working timetable with their employers. At NPL, we have established an excellent work from home routine. Each director and consultant knows their roles in the business and work together to assist our clients to achieve their goals. This we do despite of the coronavirus. If we venture outside, we wear our mask and observe social distancing. We hope that soon we will be free from the pandemic and all its restrictions. In the meantime, we at NPL Advisors wish you well and that you stay well.

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At NPL Advisors our first commitment is to our investors. With 100% propriety interest in Africa, and other emerging economies, we choose to recommend investment in African projects which provide the best returns but which are founded on the principles of improving the quality of the local economy and peoples lives. As human beings, we will all at some time or later, have to leave this world. What we leave behind is a legacy of the built environment. What we have built presently in this world so far, has taken us well over two thousand years. We at NPL Advisors appreciate the amount of work done by individuals and governments to help develop this world so far.

Today, with modern technology, we are able to capture, store and save all the knowledge acquired so far in the world. Knowledge from Ancient Egypt, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas. With this in mind, all of humanity should come together and develop a great world designed and developed holistically.

When the world thinks as one, we will develop as one whilst respecting one another. There is no longer any need to fight over resources and commodities. The developed world should assist the under developed world to develop. Bio fuels, modern technology and artificial intelligence means that plain water can now be cleaned and used as fuel. Also rubbish can be turned to wealth. We are rapidly living in an age of sophistication and advanced civilisation. There should be no more primitive wars over commodities since the earth has given us all we need to develop as a collective.

NPL Advisors was founded to help project originators and project investors to develop our world and in so doing to leave Legacies of The Built Environment.

Every stage of each projects development will be filmed to ensure compliance to international standards and successful completion. Do contact us if you have project ideas and/or resources to invest in projects that will leave a legacy as we explore the “Art of Investing”.

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NPL Advisors have been instrumental in facilitating the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Anambra State Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Carbon Afrika Limited an investment company for a 9.4 Billion Naira Waste to Energy project.

With a time line of 12 to 15 months, the waste treatment plant will be constructed on a 4 hectare piece of land at Ozubulu. It will generate green energy of 24 megawatts of electricity.

The investor is to provide 8.4 Billion Naira representing 90% of the equity while the state government will bring the remaining 10% totalling 9.4 Billion Naira.

The Governor of Anambra State said that the project provides solutions to the environmental and health challenges posed by congested dumpsites across the State. He hopes that effective waste management in line with global best practices will commence in the state and that the project will compliment his administration’s efforts at boosting power supply in the State .The Governor urged the investor to immediately hit the ground running to ensure that the project is realised on schedule.

The Chairman of ANSIPPA (Anambra State Investment and Promotions Agency) explained that the project will generate 250 direct and one thousand and five hundred indirect jobs.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Carbon Afrika, the investment company Ms Chizoba Adigwe said that they have reliable financial partners for the project from the French and German Governments and that what they are bringing to Anambra State is a project that is realisable.

The Chairman of the State Power Committee Mr Chike Okonkwo explained that the project will generate power which will be off taken by industries in the Nnewi region.

In a vote of thanks, the Managing Director of the State Waste Management Agency ASWAMA Mr Phil Chiwuba promised they will work closely with the investor to facilitate the movement and management of waste when the project comes on stream.

The formal signing of the Memorandum of Understanding documents by the Governor Chief Willie Obiano and The Chief Executive Officer of Carbon Afrika Ms Chizoba Adigwe at Governor’s Lodge was the high point of the event.

NPL Advisors were central in assisting Carbon Afrika by being its Financial Advisor. More specifically in providing preliminary and detailed discussion / paper on the cross border structural diagrams of the Project including initial and on going flow of funds as well as cash flow analysis. A double spv structure was introduced through Mauritius and the relevant double taxation treaty on withholding taxes and other exempt taxes was furnished by NPL Advisors.

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Having discussed the possibility of the repositioning of American political thinking and touched upon one of the common elements linking the members that have thus far been appointed by President Elect Trump into his cabinet, are we any the wiser as to what strategy the incoming Republican administration could conceivably adopt in relation to the U.S.-Nigeria Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA)? Can the President Elect’s statement that “[he is] going to rip up those trade deals and we’re going to make really good ones” literally be taken at face value? It is my contention in this final part of the series that the quote should in fact be seen as an unexpected opportunity for both parties to actually strengthen the existing TIFA. The meaning and practical ways of strengthening this bi-lateral trade agreement will be expounded below.

As matters currently stand TIFA establishes a framework for expanding trade and resolving outstanding disputes between the US and Nigeria. It is seen as an important pre-requisite step towards establishing Free Trade Agreements between the two sovereign states. This usually takes the form of investing and trading, by way of export and import of goods and services, into each other’s financial and commodities markets. Thus in March 2014 the U.S. hosted the eighth meeting of TIFA where discussions focused on (i) improving market access, (ii) utilization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), (iii) protection of intellectual property rights, (iv) implementation of the new WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, and (v) improving the bilateral investment climate.

Given Nigeria’s preeminent position as the largest market in West Africa and one of the largest economies in Africa, one would expect that this was a regional power house that the U.S. should not ignore and could benefit significantly from. In fact total U.S.-Nigeria trade (exports plus imports) was valued at $18.2 billion in 2013. U.S. imports from Nigeria were valued at $11.7 billion, $11.6 billion of which was crude oil. Non-oil Nigerian exports to the U.S. under the African Growth Opportunity Act which had been introduced by President Bill Clinton include leather, prepared vegetables, beans, cocoa paste, spices, and cassava. Conversely, U.S. exports to Nigeria were valued at $6.5 billion in 2013. Major U.S. exports to Nigeria include mineral fuels, vehicles, wheat, machinery, and plastics. The stock of U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) in Nigeria was $8.1 billion in 2012 (latest data available), up 53.6% from 2011.

It is a truism that TIFA plays a vital role in advancing the common trade and investment interests of the U.S. and Nigeria and in strengthening the overall U.S.-Nigeria relationship.

In the light of the above what further practical steps can realistically be taken in order to deepen this potentially mutually beneficial trade framework?

Firstly, a more cordial and inclusive rhetoric, at the very top (i.e. governmental level) should not be underestimated. This would go a long way towards creating an environment of goodwill and mutual respect in order for serious and meaningful bi-lateral talk and negotiations to take place.

Secondly, the opportunities for blue and white collar workers, farmers, businesses and consumers in both countries should be addressed as a matter of priority. Given the ever increasing Chinese strategic interest and influence in all sectors and industry in sub Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, as a source of boosting its domestic markets, it would be a missed opportunity for the U.S. not to use TIFA as a forum for striking similar/favourable commercial terms as the Chinese have done and continue to do. The U.S. could, by way of example, leverage its technical know-how in a range of sectors such as high tech services and renewable energy in exchange for raw materials and commodities such as oil and gas.

Thirdly, from a U.S. perspective a strong TIFA would give the U.S. a degree of influence in not only the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) but also the African Union (AU). Whereas the Chinese have and continue to deepen their relationship with both ECOWAS and AU (and this for the sake of ensuring that their interest in commodities, forestry, land etc. is protected at a regional and continental level) the U.S. would seem to adopt a less strategic and tactical approach.

It is hoped that President Elect Trump’s administration does not embark on or adopt a policy of ‘benign neglect’ in so far as TIFA is concerned.

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The tectonic shift in US political and ideological thinking appears to gain more ‘clarity’ this week by President Elect Trump’s recent appointments to his cabinet. The minimum entry qualification/requirement would seem to be that an individual is required to have or enjoy a minimum net worth of millions of US dollars, or ideally, billions of US dollars in net assets.

These are the handpicked men and women whom President Elect Trump believes would not only best serve the interests of the common American family trying their best to make ends meet by having to, in some instances, feed their families by regular visits to food banks, but, from our perspective, that would really understand, appreciate the nuances and continue the U.S.-Nigeria Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) in an empathetic and understanding manner; all of course being conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect, dignity, cross-fertilisation of ideas and interests for the common good of the peoples of both sovereign states.

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Now that the Nobel Peace Prize Winner President Obama is on his “way out” and President Elect Trump is on his “way in” to the office housing the world’s oldest surviving federation, what impact will this tectonic shift in US political and economic thinking have on .US.-Nigeria relation; more specifically, on the U.S.-Nigeria Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council whose aim ever since it was established in 2000 was to create a civilised inclusive forum for regular, high-level dialogue on enhancing and improving co-ordination between the United States of America and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on multilateral and bilateral trade and investment issues?

The answer, on one level, is simple: we do not know. Nevertheless, one can hazard an educated deduction based on the character, rhetoric, knowledge and critical thinking of the President Elect. This will be the subject matter of NPL’s weekly blog in the forthcoming weeks.

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