The summit, co-hosted by Globalafri Diplomat and Afreximbank at the Afreximbank African Trade Centre, brought together commercial attachés, diplomats, development partners, captains of industry and commissioners of commerce from across Nigeria to explore practical areas of collaboration between the international community and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
Speaking during the opening session, Deji Ajomale-McWord, Publisher of Globalafri Diplomat, Sòókò , described subnational diplomacy as an urgent necessity, arguing that Nigerian states must be deliberately exposed to global trade, investment and development opportunities, especially as the country gradually devolves more powers to state governments in critical sectors.
Delivering a keynote address titled “The Urgency of Subnational Diplomacy,” Ajomale-McWord said Nigeria’s historical economic success was driven by strong regional economies before excessive centralisation weakened the ability of states to independently pursue development.
He recalled that the old Western Region’s cocoa economy and the famous groundnut pyramids in Northern Nigeria were major contributors to national prosperity before the country’s governance structure shifted towards a unitary system following the promulgation of Decree 34 during military rule.
