The United States Chamber of Commerce has committed $320 million to support mortgage refinancing and women empowerment initiatives of the Nigerian government.
This is just as Vice President Kashim Shettima, who is leading the federal government delegation and representing Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu at this year’s UNGA, has met with other members of the Nigerian delegation to strategise on the country’s engagements in New York.
At a US-Nigeria Executive Business Roundtable hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce, Nisha Biswal of the American society International Development Finance Corporation announced that with a portfolio of $1 billion, it was investing $200 million in mortgage refinancing in Nigeria.
The sum of $100 million has also been earmarked for FCMB to finance SMEs in Nigeria, with particular interest in women empowerment.
The U.S Chamber of Commerce equally announced that $20 million has been approved for a firm, Robust International, for processing of cashew nuts in Nigeria.
Appreciating the gesture of the group, Vice President Shettima reiterated President Tinubu’s commitment to investor-friendly policies.
Earlier on Monday, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, led other members to brief the Vice President on the activities and itinerary lined up for him in New York.
Tuggar outlined the programmes and activities, saying that the Vice President is expected to deliver President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s national statement at the General Debate of the UN General Assembly.
Apart from President Tinubu’s national statement delivery, Vice President Kashim Shettima is also expected to meet with the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Aside other Heads of States lined up to meet with the Vice President, there are also scheduled meetings with the head of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States; the President of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Director General of the International Atomic Agency, and multinational companies, among others.
Also on the itinerary of the Vice President is a meeting with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and a host of other international partners.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)