Nigeria, African diplomats push to deepen intra-continental trade in tourism, agriculture 

…Style de vie set to host diplomats, investors 

The Nigerian government, and private-sector firm, Style de Vie are working to provide  a platform for all African diplomats to negotiate and deepen intra-African trade and tackle long-standing barriers that continue to restrict the flow of investment across the continent.

The collaboration, developed jointly with the Presidency, the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), aims to ensure a credible and structured platform for African investors to scale opportunities within the region especially in Agriculture, tourism,  mining and Financial inclusion.

Rebecca Tabe, Creative Director of Style de Vie,who disclosed this in Abuja said the initiative was conceived to provide a meeting point for diplomats and investors who, until now, have operated in fragmented spaces despite shared economic aspirations under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area.

To this end, she informed that Style de vie will bring together Ambassadors of African Nations, high commissioners, business leaders, and investors in a high-level networking event, scheduled for 22 November 2025 in Abuja where participants can engage directly with policymakers and credible partners.

According to her, the gathering is intentionally different from conventional business forums. “This event here is not a symposium, it’s not a summit, it’s not a conference, but it is a high networking event, which we’re breaking the barriers between the investors and the diplomats,” she said. Tabe explained that the aim is to “foster trade investment partnerships amongst African nations,” enabling investors to meet policymakers directly and explore opportunities that would ordinarily be hard to access.

She added that the event will connect countries to credible investors and brands “that would not just only come into their nation, but to also give employment, retain investment, and help with the economy.”

She further informed  that the collaboration with the Nigerian government intends not only to showcase investment prospects but also to address the systemic barriers that have constrained African economies from trading competitively with one another.

 

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According to Tabe, high import duties, multiple taxation, insecurity and regulatory inconsistencies across African countries continue to disincentivise manufacturing and cross-border business expansion. She said these barriers are responsible for the continent’s low levels of value addition, particularly in agriculture, textiles, consumer goods and artisanal export sectors, where local producers face significant costs before their goods reach regional markets.

She warned that without coordinated action, African businesses will remain dependent on non-African supply chains, undermining the continent’s attempts to build resilient industrial bases.

Tabe also raised concerns about the scale of capital flight, noting that African investors have increasingly channelled funds to  markets outside the continent. She said Africa is losing substantial investment capital annually as individuals and institutions seek  destinations in Europe, North America and the Middle East.

She emphasised that the partnership is partly designed to provide investors with direct access to credible information from government agencies, helping them make informed decisions.“The goal is for African investors to invest in Africa and keep African capital within the continent,” she said.

She also hinted at plans by the federal government  to cut high import duties, and reduce multiplicity of taxation to boost trade within the continent.

Oluwaseyi Ogunbe, project manager for Style de Vie, said the initiative is part of efforts to boost Nigeria’s ambition of lifting Nigeria to a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

“We are partnering with the Economic, Trade and Investment Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure the right government structures support the investments we are facilitating”, he said.

On Agriculture wbich is a priority area, he harped on value addition especially cashew processing, cocoa-based products and chocolate manufacturing. “We want Africa to shift from exporting raw materials to creating value-added products. Ivory Coast and Ghana have already started processing cocoa locally. These conversations must be amplified, and ambassadors need to drive them,” he said.

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He noted that Africa’s manufacturing potential could unlock far greater foreign direct investment if capacity and policy alignment improves.