DDiAdmiN𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 – 𝗨𝗦𝗔𝗗𝗙 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁/𝗖𝗘𝗢’𝘀 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮!
On Monday, 17th October 2023, we kicked off an incredible journey with the President/CEO of the United States African Development Foundation, Travis Adkins, and his team!
The day began with a warm lunch gathering, where the USADF team, Diamond Development Initiatives (DDI), and USADF Nigerian team came together to exchange ideas and foster collaboration.
Next, we headed to the DDI headquarters for a special stopover, where we watched a heartwarming documentary showcasing the impactful USADF programs in Nigeria since 2001.
It was a powerful reminder of the progress we’ve made together!
The grand finale of Day 1 was an Agricultural Mini Fair, where USADF’s incredible agricultural grantees, who are cooperatives, showcased their products and the profound impact of USADF’s support.
From innovative products to inspiring success stories, it was a testament to the power of partnership and dedication.
We were honoured to have the Acting U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria (Chargé d’Affaires ad interim) for the U.S. Embassy in Abuja (US Embassy,Abuja) – David Greene and esteemed members of the embassy staff join us for this momentous occasion.
Day 2 Highlights
On the Second day of the visit, our journey led us to the vibrant Wuse Market in Abuja, where innovation met energy! We embarked on a brief tour of GVE’s groundbreaking off-grid energy project, a 1MW system that promises to revolutionise the market.
This project is set to take the market completely off generators, ensuring uninterrupted power supply for over 2,000 shop owners who currently rely on limited daily electricity from the AEDC. It’s a game-changer for the community!
The tour was joined by the Executive Director of Diamond Development Initiatives (DDI) – Adamu Garba, representatives of the Wuse Market Traders Association (WUMATA), the dedicated team from GVE Limited, including CEO Ifeanyi Orajaka, and many others.
USADF’s Commitment!
At the event, President/CEO Adkins reaffirmed USADF’s unwavering commitment to transforming communities and bringing renewable energy to the unserved and underserved. USADF’s seed funding played a vital role in this groundbreaking project, aiming to provide reliable energy to 2,155 SMEs, reduce emissions, and turn Wuse Market into Nigeria’s first green, generator-free economic hub.
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟑 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
On the third day, our train proceeded to the residence of an illustrious Nigerian entrepreneur, philanthropist, and business luminary, the distinguished founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Tony Elumelu, C.O.N. This auspicious occasion afforded the USADF and DDI teams the privilege of partaking in a sumptuous luncheon while engaging in valuable networking opportunities, sharing insightful ideas, and connecting with a few beneficiaries of the USADF – TEF partnership funding. These individuals have already made commendable strides in their chosen vocations.
Present to extend their warm welcome to the USADF and DDI delegation included Joshua Okorie – Director of Operations, The Tony Elumelu Foundation; Oniye Okolo – Policy and Partnerships Officer, The Tony Elumelu Foundation; Ibukun Odurinde – Entrepreneurship Programme Manager, The Tony Elumelu Foundation; Owanari Duke, Non-Executive Director, UBA; Simbo Ukiri – CEO, Avon Healthcare; Obong Idiong – CEO, Africa Prudential PLC; Beatrice Akpan – Manager, UBA; Morenike Akinrimisi – Directorate Head, VI; Clari Green – Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Heirs Holdings; and Muyiwa Akinyemi – Deputy Managing Director, UBA.
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟒 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
On Day 4, the first stop was a joint Market-Creation for Solar Energy conference – with funding from United States African Development Foundation and All On Partnerships for Energy Access (All On). The conference, which was held at the Four Points by Sheraton and organized by All On, as well as the Clayton Christensen Institute, was an avenue to provide critical insights based on field data and research via keynote addresses, a solar leadership panel, and an engaging workshop. It was the public presentation of the results of the research work carried out by Christensen Institute. At the event, Mr Adkins delivered remarks focusing on increasing access to energy.
== Use the link below to download the paper: https://www.christenseninstitute.org/…/Solar_Energy…
The Oriki Game-Changing Wellness Entrepreneurship Initiative Signing!
On Day 4 also, the USADF President and CEO was at the LSETF office in #Ikeja, where an agreement was signed with Oriki Global & Synergy Limited, marking a landmark event set to revolutionize the wellness entrepreneurship landscape in #Nigeria. The agreement involves an $85,000 grant from USADF and the Lagos State Government, facilitated through LSETF, with valuable technical support from Diamond Development Initiatives (DDI). This collaboration will empower Oriki to establish a spa & wellness entrepreneurship hub, thereby providing essential economic empowerment and skill enhancement opportunities for wellness entrepreneurs.
Afterwards, the group embarked on a journey to the Field Of Skills And Dreams VTE Academy (FSD) in #Agege, where they witnessed firsthand the remarkable transformation taking place through the collaborative efforts of USADF and LSETF in supporting #skills #training. The visit was marked by an outpouring of heartfelt testimonials from numerous beneficiaries, who shared inspiring stories of how the funding had significantly impacted their lives and careers, underscoring the tangible results of this initiative.
𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟱 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱
Day 5 of the United States African Development Foundation’s CEO’s visit to #Nigeria was marked by encounters with innovative entrepreneurs like Adanne Uche and visits to enterprises like Sunhive Limited, highlighting the impact of USADF’s support in empowering local businesses and fostering economic growth in Nigeria.
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𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱: 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
The USADF and DDI team visited Sunhive Limited, an #energy company located on Osborne Road in Ikoyi, Lagos. Sunhive Limited, with support from organizations like All On Partnerships for Energy Access and USADF, has been at the forefront of designing and engineering energy storage solutions using second-life lithium cells. Their efforts have resulted in significant progress in configuring lithium-based energy storage solutions locally.
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Led by the CEO Gbenga Kogbe, Sunhive Limited’s portfolio includes providing energy storage solutions to organizations such as TotalEnergies, Alliance Française, DHL, and the Nigerian Navy, thus contributing to a sustainable and energy-efficient future.
Meeting with Founder/CEO of Ady’s Food Mart
Day 5 of the visit also featured a meaningful encounter with Adanne Uche, Founder and Director of Ady’s Agro Food Mart, a remarkable grantee of the USADF Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program.
𝘼𝙙𝙮’𝙨 𝙁𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙩: 𝘼 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙅𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙮
Ady’s Food Mart, a recipient of a $10,000 grant from USADF in 2021, has been on an inspiring journey of growth and impact. The grant was awarded to scale their food and service delivery, enhance personal grocery shopping, and increase customer access to high-quality foods sourced from local farmers in eastern Nigeria.
Here’s a snapshot of the impact of USADF’s support on Ady’s Food Mart:
• Service Delivery: Ady’s Food Mart increased its service delivery time by an impressive 50%, ensuring quicker access to fresh and high-quality foods.
• Production Efficiency: The production time for spices was significantly reduced from 2-4 weeks to a mere 4-8 hours, enhancing productivity and supply chain efficiency.
• Online Presence: The deployment of a website improved Ady’s Food Mart’s online visibility and facilitated customer engagement.
• Financial Capacity: Ady’s Food Mart demonstrated improved financial management capacity, as evidenced by the deployment of a financial platform and the generation of an updated audited financial statement by the end of September 2022.
• Global Expansion and Shelf Space: Ady’s Food Mart’s products have not only secured shelf space in various supermarkets across Nigeria but have also made their debut in international markets, including the UK and the United States.
This expansion showcases the success and growing influence of this innovative food enterprise.
Stay tuned for further updates as we continue to celebrate the profound impact of USADF’s support and the remarkable achievements of its grantees.