The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has announced that it will host sector leaders in the various industries to be part of a Regional Business Forum themed.

The forum will be structured around high-level meetings, consultations with Business leaders, the Youth and women in West African business ecosystem. The forum is themed: “Empowering Women Youths to Spur Africa’s Transformation Agenda”

According to the statement, the 3-day forum will be held in Lagos, Nigeria from September 21-23, 2021.

The Regional Business Forum will be held in collaboration with strategic partners from across the continent. The forum will bring together women and youth from across the 15 West African countries, business, leaders, the private sector and SMEs.

Furthermore, this is the first edition in a series of stakeholders’ engagements by the Economic Commission for Africa.

The forum has been designed in partnership with the International Trade Centre, International Labour Office, ECOWAS, Organization of Trade Unions of West Africa, Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Also, other partners include Neca’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women, Association of Nigerian Women Business Network (ANWBN), WIMBIZ, Junior Chamber International- Nigeria, Cameroon, a host of Youth Organizations, and Women Networks across the region.

Africa’s young population, and projected to reach a quarter of the world’s labor force by 2050 due to its high fertility rates and declining mortality rates presents an impetus for this forum.

Objectives of the Forum

The Director of the ECA Sub-Regional office for West Africa of ECA, Mrs. Ngone Diop, expressed the intention of her office to engage sector leaders across critical sectors of the economy within the West Africa Region.

Moreover, she stressed that this is to translate ideas into actions around specific interventions designed to build capacities, and empower the Youths & Women in the region.

Furthermore, she indicated that the process surrounding this is to foster the development of a regional framework and an ecosystem geared. This is towards harnessing the opportunities of the African Continental Free Trade (AfCFTA).

Moreover, this will stimulate regional engagements and strategic private sector partnerships to support experienced and non-experienced women and youth entrepreneurs, she opined.

The objectives of the forum include providing a platform to facilitate the sharing of business opportunities among women and youths across the region and in Africa at large.

It is also to encourage the success stories, of women and youths’ businesses for cross learning and impact.

Similarly, it will help identify business champions who are committed to support the growth of women and youths and link them for effective mentorship and dedicated support.

Target participants are women and youths from across West Africa, particularly those who run businesses (irrespective of the size); have start-ups, and/or have workable business ideas, among others.

Also, representatives from government and private sectors, business leaders, United Nations and other intergovernmental organizations will also be considered, the statement indicated.