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By Bruno FANUCCHI for AfricaPresse.Paris (APP)
@africa_presse
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APP – You are part of the large Nigerian delegation (more than forty people) present at the IVe edition of Ambition Africa, but you actually live in France. Can you tell us more about your journey of excellence, both professional and associative ?
Dr Anino EMUWA – Nigerian born in Lagos, but living in France, my home base since 2004, I am the founder of Avandis, a strategy and finance consulting company that works with entrepreneurs and business leaders “.
But I am also the founder of an important network of high-level women entrepreneurs which is divided into two associations, Africa Women CEOs Network and 100 Women@Davos. Our goal is to develop the leadership among women leaders in Africa and around the world.
APP – So you are a specialist in finance…
Dr Anino EMUWA – In reality, I was above all in the bank. After studying economics in London, at the London School of Economics, I started working with Citibank, the American bank where I dealt with loans for large multinational companies. But I quickly understood that SMEs in Africa lack access to credit to grow and also need support.
There are large French groups present in Nigeria such as Total Energies, but medium-sized companies or certain SMEs are also interested in business opportunities in Nigeria. Hence my presence for the second consecutive year at Ambition Africa. Because we support French SMEs wishing to invest in Nigeria.
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“ NTIC and Nollywood
weigh more than the oil sector »
“ NTIC and Nollywood
weigh more than the oil sector »
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APP – What does this second participation in Ambition Africa in Bercy bring you? ?
Dr Anino EMUWA – Ambition Africa has become an unmissable meeting place for business with Africa. This allows us two things: to develop business ties between Europe and Africa and more particularly of course between France and Nigeria, it is bilateral ; increase contacts with women leaders in the sectors that interest us. It’s basically networking or “ networking “, as we say in good French. In two days, I had many very positive contacts – thanks to meetings organized in BtoB – with French companies wishing to develop their business in Nigeria. It is for us a great capital gain “.
APP – In which sectors can a large English-speaking country like Nigeria be really attractive to French companies? ?
Dr Anino EMUWA – It is a large market which is developing rapidly and which many have been watching for years without always daring to start… Our country’s strengths are of course the oil sector, but increasingly that of new technologies , and also the creative industries sector with culture, music, cinema, design, fashion and the arts.
So many sectors that work and can really bring in investors who have the courage to come to us.
With a projected 2022 GDP of $445 trillion, Nigeria is Africa’s number one economy. The creative industries employ 4.2 million people and alone generate 4.5 trillion dollars, including “ Nollywood “, the Nigerian film industry known around the world.
The technology sector represents 18.4 % of GDP in the second quarter of 2022, with growth of 6.5 % in three months, a contribution now greater than that of oil.
APP – What is your company’s weight today and what sectors are you targeting as a priority? ?
Dr Anino EMUWA – We are five employees with an office in Lyon and another based in Lagos (Nigeria). So we do a lot of telework and it works well, but could still work much better. Our objective is indeed to further increase our networks. This is why we are going to focus in a few months on the online network.
For the time being, we are focusing on companies specializing in technology and services because, in this first sector at least, there are now in Africa companies which present great advantages with values of one trillion dollars ! Of the “ unicorns “. They are still only start-ups, but there are already great opportunities for these companies to grow very quickly and it is important to have the means to support them.
We are therefore working to help them find not only the necessary funding, but also the support and solutions in “ management development “. The two are linked.
During my doctorate of business administration » in SME financing, done in London, I carried out research precisely on these very sensitive and pointed points which condition the smooth running of a company wishing to succeed and break into the market.
Senior reporter Bruno Fanucchi surrounded by two leading figures from the Nigerian delegation to Ambition Africa 2022: Chinedu Rita Rosa and Anino Emuwa. © DR
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“ I will be at the french week
November in Lagos »
“ I will be at the french week
November in Lagos »
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APP – In this world of finance, aren’t you also a real “ globetrotter » ?
Dr Anino EMUWA – I live in France, but my work is very international and leads me to travel a lot between France, Europe in general, Africa and Nigeria in particular, but now also the countries of the Near and Middle East. East. The company that I created seven years ago, however, remains based in Lyon. In our network, when we make the “ leadership training in digital, we have women from more than twenty countries in Africa and elsewhere. And, even when we are there, in London or Davos, we have customers who come from all over.
What are your next important appointments? ?
Dr Anino EMUWA – There are two: in January at the Davos Forum (Switzerland) of course, where I have been going regularly for five years, and in March 2023 in Kigali (Rwanda) where the next meeting of Africa Women CEOs will be held Network, because we are now going to work with local partners and – I hope so too – with the Rwandan government.
But until then, I will be in Lagos from November 18 to 24 to participate in what is called the “ french week », that is to say the annual meeting of the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce in the presence of His Excellency Mme Emmanuelle Blatmann, French Ambassador in Abuja, and a number of large French companies established in Nigeria such as Total-Energies, Air France-KLM, Bolloré Transport & Logistics and many others of smaller size but which are also very active in our country.
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LEARN MORE:
www.avandisconsulting.com
www.100womendavos.com
ON THE SAME SUBJECT of French investments in Nigeria: https://www.africapresse.paris/AmbitionAfrica-Chinedu-RITA-
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