Business
Fidelity Bank launches first-of-its-kind International Trade and Creative Fair in Houston
The world is coming to Houston, and it’s not for the Offshore Technology Conference!
The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is usually one of the major conferences that shake up the city with a convention of international business gurus. The OTC comprises a series of conferences and exhibitions hyping technologies relevant to developing offshore energy resources, primarily oil, and natural gas.
However, come October 24-25, that record might be broken when Fidelity Bank Plc. Nigeria unveils its premier international trade and creative fair themed, Fidelity International Trade & Creative Connect (FITCC). This conference is expected to attract the brightest minds and industry leaders who would exchange ideas, create trade/business partnerships, and navigate the ever-evolving landscape of international trade, exports, and creative connections.
Houston’s Mayor, Sylvester Turner (left), MD and CEO of the Fidelity Bank, Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe. Photo by Texas International Guardian
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe said that the Bank is very much invested in supporting export trade. “We have consistently demonstrated this by the interventions and innovations that we bring to the space. Beyond the financing instrument, some of our key interventions revolve around business management capacity development and market access development initiatives like FITCC,” she said.
Fidelity Bank Plc. Nigeria is a popular international commercial banking entity with over 7.2 million customers serviced across 250 business offices and other digital banking networks.
Expected to attend this event are international and local business leaders, owners and representatives, influencers in the digital, creative, and social media sectors, community leaders, government officials, local elected officials, etc. The organizers said they would make available a comprehensive list of confirmed guests. The organizers will also reveal a long list of partnering entities which would include financial entities, governments, and academic institutions.
Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States, is designated as a hub for international commerce, known as the energy capital of the world, and a global leader in healthcare, aeronautics, advanced manufacturing, and innovation. Besides having the largest Nigerian population in the country, the city remains the most diverse, with over 2.5 million residents. The city also holds the largest port in the U.S. in foreign tonnage, two international airports, and the largest medical center in the world. In addition, more than 5,000 Houston companies are engaged in international business, and approximately 1,000 Houston firms report foreign ownership.
Houston, the fourth largest city in the US, is designated as a hub for international commerce, known as the energy capital of the world.Photo by Kevin Hernandezon Unsplash
Houston’s Mayor, Sylvester Turner, who just led a three-country trade mission to West Africa, acknowledged the city’s readiness to host this event in a video message. He equally made a personal appeal to the public for collective support. To Mayor Turner, who will out-serve his tenure in a few months, this event would be his last endeavor to strengthen the City’s business ties with Africa.
FITCC conference will address the limitless market opportunities that exist between Nigeria and the US marketplace.Photo by Alex Kotliarskyion Unsplash
Among a long list of objectives, the FITCC conference will address the limitless market opportunities that exist between Nigeria and the US marketplace. For instance, Nigeria has the largest market in Africa with a population of over 200 million. According to the International Trade Administration, Nigeria is the second largest U.S. export destination in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2021, the two-way trade in goods between the United States and Nigeria totaled over $7 billion.
Panel sessions at the event will also explore further strategies to bring Nigeria’s creatives to the global markets. For example, Nigerian artists now play a significant role in modeling Africa’s cultural landscape. In culinary, the Nigerian jollof-rice is now a global brand. Notwithstanding, Hilda Effiong Bassey, AKA Hilda Baci, a young Nigerian chef now holds the current Guinness World Record for marathon cooking.
The ITCC which will take place at the George R. Brown (GRB) Convention Center in Houston, presents the opportunity to harness the shared synergy of the Nigerian and US creative/entertainment ecosystem players is poised to create a fertile structure for business development – but choosing to host this global event in Houston substantiates the reality.
GRB Convention Center is one of the 10 largest convention centers in America currently with more than 2 million square feet. This event will be the first Nigeria-facilitated conference to be held at this convention center.
♦ Culled from the Houston News Break (Author Anthony Obi Ogbo)
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Partnership with the Texas Southern adds a new dimension to this event. For example, besides the SOC, the partnership will also include the Mickey Leland Center, Jesse Jones Business School, and the Barbara Jordan School of Public Affairs.
Fidelity International Trade & Creative Connect (FITCC) is collaborating with Texas Southern University (TSU) to engage student professionals in communication and to facilitate pre-event and on-site media coverage for the two-day trade fair. Paid student volunteers will write articles, shoot videos, and conduct on-the-scene interviews during the event. TSU’s Interim Dean of the School of Communications (SOC), Dr. Chris Ulasi confirmed this development, adding that “the SOC students have always excelled in collaborative coverage of major national and global events.”
Ulasi was right. In 2022, for instance, TSU joined Morgan State University in an all-expenses paid trip to the Monterey Jazz Festival (MJF) in Monterey, California, where the TSU’s Jazz Ensemble, University Choir, and Journalism department joined 20 other jazz and choir students from Morgan State University, to perform. In the same period, a team of TSU journalists traveled to Washington, D.C., for the Democracy Summit at Howard University. The Democracy Summit brought in students from TSU and six other HBCUs, including Morehouse, Morgan State, Savannah State, Florida A&M, North Carolina A&T, and North Carolina Central University.
Texas Southern University (TSU) student professionals in communication will facilitate pre-event and on-site media coverage for the two-day event. Photo by Arthur Murray (SOC-TSU)
The FITCC is one-of-its-kind. On October 24-25, at the George R. Brown (GRB) Convention Center in Houston, the Fidelity Bank Plc. Nigeria will premier this international trade and creative fair called Fidelity International Trade & Creative Connect (FITCC). The event is expected to attract thousands of participants from all over the world. These attendees would interact with the brightest minds and industry leaders who would exchange ideas, create trade/business partnerships, and navigate the ever-evolving landscape of international trade, exports, and creative connections.
As fundamental objectives, the FITCC conference will address the limitless market opportunities between Nigeria and the U.S. marketplace. The sole facilitator, Fidelity Bank Plc. Nigeria is a popular international commercial banking entity with over 7.2 million customers serviced across 250 business offices and other digital banking networks. The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe said that the Bank has very much invested in supporting export trade.
Partnership with the Texas Southern adds a new dimension to this event. For example, besides the SOC, the partnership will also include the Mickey Leland Center, Jesse Jones Business School, and the Barbara Jordan School of Public Affairs. Deans and faculty members are invited for research-based presentations and speaking engagements. In addition, Exhibitor Booths will be provided for TSU, and space will be provided for the KTSU2 radio station.
SOC Students in action: Partnership with the Texas Southern adds a new dimension to this event. Photo by Arthur Murray (SOC-TSU)
According to The President of AIX LLC, the Houston-based facilitator of the conference, Linda Anukwuem, “Our partnership with TSU will allow a working collaboration with the students depending on their choice of study. We are excited about their participation and cannot wait to release more details soon.”
These students will also have the opportunity to meet or interview various dignitaries, including Mayor Sylvester Turner, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe (CEO & Managing Director) of Fidelity Bank Nigeria, and Her Excellency Engr. Tamunominini Olufunke Makinde (First Lady of Oyo State, Nigeria), Benedict Oramah (President – Afrieximbank), Engr. Henry Obih (Independent Director-Fidelity Bank Nigeria), Ufo Eric-Atuanya (Senior Vice President, Global Business Development – Export-Import Bank of the US), 97.9 The Box – G.T. Mayne.
- FITCC Partners with Texas Southern University - September 17, 2023
- Houston Resident Builds Library In Sagyimase, Ghana - September 17, 2023
- Coco Gauff subdues Aryna Sabalenka to win the U.S. Open for her first Grand Slam title - September 9, 2023
…Says the event will validate demand for a Nigerian Consulate in Houston
The President of AIX LLC, the Houston-based facilitator of the FITCC Conference, Linda Anukwuem walked into the newsroom at the Texas International Guardian to shed light on a two-day international conference expected to attract a diverse group of entrepreneurs and industry leaders in America’s fourth largest city, Houston. Ms. Anukwuem spoke to the publisher, Dr. Anthony Ogbo. Below is the transcript:
Come October 24-25, the Fidelity Bank Plc. Nigeria will unveil its premier international trade and creative fair themed, Fidelity International Trade & Creative Connect (FITCC). Tell us, what is this event all about?
Thanks for this opportunity. The event is a unique platform to bridge the gap and support bilateral trade between Nigeria and Houston. Nigeria has a large diaspora community that resides in Houston and the neighboring cities which include Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio looking to engage in business activities back home. In addition, the event will bring over 100 exporters in various industries looking to transact with retail buyers, manufacturers, etc. The event will create an atmosphere to do business beyond borders. Networking and engagement will be instrumental to a successful outcome for the event and Fidelity Bank Nigeria.
In addition, the ITCC will take place at the George R. Brown (GRB) Convention Center, one of the 10 largest convention centers in America, and this event will be the first Nigeria-facilitated conference to be held at this convention center.
Anukwuem… “The proposed partnership with TSU will allow a working collaboration with the students depending on their choice of study. We are really excited about their participation and cannot wait to release more details soon.” Photo/International Guardian
Good to know that this event will create a path to doing business across and beyond borders. Tell us about the structure – what exactly would participants be expecting?
Attendees should expect the following: tradeshow, panel sessions, topic-focused breakout sessions, fashion show, networking, and B2B meetings. The discussions will feature experts, policymakers, and businesses from Nigeria and the United States to provide a more cohesive discussion allowing challenges, success stories, and solutions to be shared. Registration is very important due to limited seats for the panel and breakout sessions.
In addition, this trade expo will surely carry out the theme ‘Connecting Nigeria to the World’. Exporters will showcase authentic products including but not limited to textiles, food seasonings, and items displaying craftsmanship of what ‘Made in Nigeria’ truly exemplifies. The trade expo will be activated on both days from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 pm. Please visit www.fitccusa.com to secure your complimentary registration
There is this video of Houston’s Mayor, Sylvester Turner, who just led a three-country trade mission to West Africa, acknowledging the city’s readiness to host this event. What part does the city of Houston play in this event? To Mayor Turner, who will out-serve his tenure in a few months, what does this event mean to him and the city?
Yes, that was a video by Mayor Sylvester Turner detailing the significance of this event and the City’s commitment to matters of international business, especially involving African affairs. Mayor Turner has been extremely supportive of the event and his office has shown the willingness to support within their capacity. The event has extended an invitation to the Mayor to welcome guests and attendees at the Fidelity International Trade & Creative Connect. We look forward to hearing a goodwill message from the Mayor at the Opening Session. We are also dialoguing with the Houston Airport System which is significant for their presence to support their quest to reactivate the direct flight to Lagos from Houston.
I truly believe the Fidelity International Trade & Creative Connect is an excellent opportunity to elevate the discussion and the need for a Nigerian Consulate which has been spearheaded by many in the Houston diasporan community and Mayor Sylvester Turner.
The ITCC will take place at the George R. Brown (GRB) Convention Center, one of the 10 largest convention centers in America.
Tell us about partnering entities of this event. We heard that FITCC is partnering with many other entities, including the Texas Southern University in Houston. Any details on this yet?
Yes, FITCC will be partnering with a few local entities including Texas Southern University. The proposed partnership with TSU will allow a working collaboration with the students depending on their choice of study. We are really excited about their participation and cannot wait to release more details soon.
From dignitaries to delegates and participants, who exactly are you expecting here?
Local officials including Mayor Sylvester Turner, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe (CEO & Managing Director) Fidelity Bank Nigeria, Her Excellency Engr. Tamunominini Olufunke Makinde (First Lady of Oyo State, Nigeria), Benedict Oramah (President – Afrieximbank), Engr. Henry Obih (Independent Director-Fidelity Bank Nigeria), Ufo Eric-Atuanya (Senior Vice President, Global Business Development – Export-Import Bank of the U.S.), 97.9 The Box – G.T. Mayne
How could guests, partners, volunteers, etc. reach out to the event facilitators?
Complimentary registration to attend the event is available at www.fitccusa.com. For inquiries, please send us an email through linda@aixfirm.com or call us at +1 (832) 452-7784
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- Houston Resident Builds Library In Sagyimase, Ghana - September 17, 2023
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Her Excellency, the First Lady of Oyo State, Nigeria, Engr. Tamunominini Olufunke Makinde will be in Houston when the city hosts the momentous Fidelity International Trade & Creative Connect summit in October. The summit will bring together global leaders, business tycoons, and government officials to foster global partnerships and discuss opportunities for economic growth and cooperation. The summit hosted by Fidelity Bank Nigeria, is scheduled to take place on October 24-25, 2023, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Downtown Houston.
Her Excellency, the First Lady of Oyo State, Nigeria, Engr. Tamunominini Olufunke Makinde is renowned for her commitment to women’s empowerment, education, and socio-economic development. Her presence at the summit underscores the importance of fostering strong international relationships and leveraging them for sustainable growth. As an advocate for social progress, Her Excellency’s participation will undoubtedly enrich the discussions and initiatives aimed at creating a more inclusive global economy.
The Fidelity International Trade & Creative Summit aims to position Houston as a global nexus for trade and innovation, while also strengthening diplomatic and commercial ties between Nigeria and the United States. The participation of the First Lady of Oyo State, Nigeria, adds an exceptional dimension to the event, highlighting the importance of inclusive growth and collaboration in international trade.
For more information about the Fidelity International Trade & Creative Connect and registration details, please visit www.fitccusa.com, email linda@aixfirm.com, or call 1(832) 452-7784
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- Houston Resident Builds Library In Sagyimase, Ghana - September 17, 2023
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