The African version of the United States Latin American Chamber of Commerce (USLACC) with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nigeria launched a $100 Billion dollar endowment fund targeting 50 million African youths in a 10-year Africa’s industrialization development plan, leveraging on technology, entrepreneurship, skill acquisition etc. The Nigeria version of the event took place on the 8th of July, 2025 at the Rotunda hall of Nigeria Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abuja, while New York, Canada and Poland are next on the line. The Nigeria version was tagged “Africa on the Wings of Acceleration and Growth”.
The programme witnessed convergence of high level dignitaries, ranging from top government officials, captains of industries, various youths across the country, USLACC state coordinators, exhibitors, their inventions, service providers and products.
In her speech, Amb. Ifeoma Mary Ejiogu the African Representative of USLACC stressed the urgent need to reverse the narrative of African youth from being largely consumers to producers. “United States, Latin America, Chamber of Commerce-USLACC Africa, has taken the bold steps and has mapped out $100Billion fund that would be used to execute the project”. She said.
In her word “Today we are talking about a project, a program, and a vision that will cut across every continent of Africa and the world. It’s about the youth of Africa and how we can put our heads together, join forces to alleviate and eradicate the menace of being the continent of consumers to producers.
The continued failure of African leaders in harnessing the potential of their youth has presented wrong impression of people all over the world, western world, advanced world, as if their counterparts are better than them. USLACC Africa, the United States, Latin America, Chamber of Commerce, which I am the African representative in 54 African countries, have taken up this very challenge as we are trying to take the bull by the horns, to pull other people elsewhere to join.
“Let us begin to address issues concerning Africa and the development of Africa, but let’s follow it by leveraging on the current wave of technology, which you know today, we can’t even boast of Africa in any place in technology in the world.
“And that is the reason why today, with the abundance of resources we have, and with the abundance of opportunities, and intellectualism, every talented youths, can still be good when empowered.
“We have the same resources, but the question is, what happened to Africa? USLACC Africa has taken the bold initiative to call on good hearted people to do the needful. This is the program and the projects that we are using and it is a 10-year Africa industrialization plan. Leveraging on technology while focusing on the youth of Africa to give them the knowledge, the training, the equipment, and the opportunity so that they will begin to develop themselves, believe in themselves, and start producing like every developed countries of the world.
We are going to realize great inventors, great innovators. We’re going to realize youth that will be willing and happy to start producing, not just consumers. “It is a project set to liberate Africa from the shackles of poverty and setback. I am very optimistic that with this launch Nigeria have seen and has come to understand our plight and were we are heading to.
The chairman of the event, Engr. Dr. Emem Coffu who also is the Managing Director/CEO of Reticulated Global Engineering Ltd, in his speech reiterated that the program will empower African youth by funding innovative ideas and solutions towards industrializing Africa.
“This program is to empower youths especially those that have ideas. He called on the government to see this project as an avenue to invest in the youths to tackle unemployment through technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.
“China is where they are today because they paid attention to technology. If you go to their trade fairs, you’ll be amazed what secondary school children are producing. Every family has a cottage industry,” he said.
On his part, the Managing Director/CEO of Eastern Farm Tech Ltd, Amb. Emmanuel Eneogwe who referred to all human beings as political entities. He went further to say that all Nigeria need is right leadership and political will for policy implementation. He task the youths to wake up and stop day-dreaming “The day we stop dreaming, that’s the day we’ll start making progress. This program is to train serious minded youths” He said.
“We cannot continue to fix our hope on solutions provided by other people’s research which must have cost them hundreds of millions of dollars to be handed over to us on a platter of gold in the name of foreign relationship, international relationship. The project is aimed at empowering youths with solution based ideas for the socio economic development.
The youth need well defined policies with enabling environment. “These programs also have in its plans a science villages where youths will be trained, where they will see physical skills. We are having a high population of people that lacks cognizant skills. Most of the youths are university grandaunts who read courses that are not really applicable to where we are now. You read business and administration. Where is the business to administer? He stressed that there must be business for you to administer it.
He said that government must take a leap of faith, so that, while we are winning foreign investors, we should train our youth, have our own local industries, see their technology and go into partnership with them. Most African youths have fantastic ideas, but don’t have funds and sometimes needed managerial skill to run it effectively. The government can partner with such an organization as USLACC through which they can commit finances to empower these ideas.
He called on government agencies, private industries and investors to support USLACC vision so that Africa can have trained youths that can do work. This program will help to awaken technical colleges. Without science and technology, Nigeria and the rest of African continent cannot develop.
Dr. Mike Okiro former Inspector General of Police and former Chairman of Police Service Commission and Chairman of Patrons of USLACC Africa, represented by Hon. Savior Okiro stressed the need for Africa to first discover itself before they can move forward.
In his word, “Africa cannot go further until we discover who we are. When we discover who we are, then vision can be driven. The prosperity we are expecting in Africa is within Africa,
“The resources we are looking for to move Africa forward is not in China, it’s in us, still within us. Until you see the prosperity inside you, you can’t harness the one outside. We have two deposits of minerals resources, the one on the earth and the one in you. And it is the one in you that will attract the one outside. When you develop the one in you, it will begin to gravitate towards the one outside.” He acknowledged the program as very noble idea. Training and empowering 50 million African youths in the field of technology and developments.
Speaking at the event the director of Economic Trade and Investment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs His Excellency Amb. Anderson Madubike stressed Africa’s backwardness despite its abundance human, natural and cultural resources. He said it is time Africa move from dependency to sustainability. But how do we achieve this? The answer lies in sustainable partnerships. Africa must pursue green industrialization using renewable energy, environmentally friendly processes, and sustainable resource. He noted that the future of Africa’s industrial economy does not lie in isolation, nor in exploitation, it lies in sustainable partnerships. Partnerships rooted in shared vision, mutual growth, and a commitment to building an Africa that manufactures, competes, and leads.
Other dignitaries at the event include: Archbishop (Dr.) Kingsley Uyoata of Christ City Church International Akwa Ibom Spiritual Father of the day, Chief Callistus Okafor National coordinator team WAZOBIA and Former fractional Chairman of the Labour Party co-launcher. In their various speeches they tasked African youths to look beyond “get rich quick” syndrome which has dented the dignity in labour and has presented most youths as lazy, and easy money seekers. They all ended their speeches by pledging their support and commitment towards the realization of USLACC Africa’s dream.
By our Reporter
