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LONDON, November 19, 2019 — Attending the WEConnect International Europe conference turned out to be a rousing success for a WEConnect International delegation from Nigeria. Not only did the delegates learn immensely insightful ideas designed to unlock opportunities, but they also made valuable connections with WBEs and member buyers at the conference.
With the theme “Driving Business Growth through Inclusive Value Chains,” the Europe Conference was hosted at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel London Kensington situated in the heart of London’s museum district.
The delegation decided to attend because of strong historical trade and cultural links between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, and the opportunity to attract more cross-border procurement opportunities to Nigerian WBEs. Everyone agreed that the decision was a good one–leading to fruitful meetings and opportunities to learn about UK businesses’ efforts to further develop their supplier diversity programmes.
As they arrived, the Nigerian Delegation found a dedicated country desk placed strategically at the entrance to the networking hall which was graciously provided by the Europe cohort. The desk with its colourful banners, informative brochures and inviting delegates quickly became a favourite at the conference, drawing a constant stream of curious WBEs and member buyers.
On the third day of the conference, the Nigerian delegation made its first-ever courtesy call on the Industry, Trade and Investment Section of the Nigerian High Commission to the United Kingdom. At a high-level, they discussed potential procurement and partnership opportunities between UK businesses and Nigerian women-owned businesses with High Commission representatives.
Because the 2019 conference was so valuable, the delegates pledged to be a part of future International conferences.
Nigerian delegates included Lonadek Inc (ISO: 9001: 2015 Certified Engineering Technology and Innovation Solutions), Eclectic Chique (African-inspired Lifestyle and Fashion Accessories), Oeetrot Concepts Ltd (Facilities, Event, Procurement and Logistics Management) and Jake Riley Limited (Management, HR, Performance and Process Consulting). The delegation was led by WEConnect International’s Market Lead in Nigeria, Yeshua Russel.
