Schedule
The conference will take place on February 26 - 27, 2010 at the Howard University School of Business, Washington, DC. The schedule of programs is as follows:
Friday, February 26th
Arrivals (All morning)
Speakers, panelists, and corporate representatives’ arrival and check- in to respective hotels
Early Registration — (12:00 noon to 5:00 pm)
Registration commences with conference participants being treated to light refreshments, and conference materials will be available for pick up at the registration site throughout the day.
Movie Screening and Panel Discussion - Blacks Without Borders (2:00pm – 5:00pm)
www.blackswithoutborders.net
Leeds Bryan International Interviews - (2:00 pm – 5:00 pm)
Interviews taking place for Full-time and Summer Internship Positions in Nigeria with Multiple Firms such as: Stanbic IBTC, Skye Bank, Nestle Nigeria, Coca-Cola, etc.
Email abc.careerfair@gmail.com if interested in interviewing.
HUABC Sponsors, Guest Speakers and Planning Committee Networking Social — (6:30 pm to 9:30 pm)
This will be a special welcome social event for stakeholders of the conference (sponsors, speakers and planning team) to meet and network in a relaxed setting. The event will serve as a good opportunity for the planning team to answer any questions from the guests, and for speakers to familiarize themselves with fellow panelists prior to the conference.
Saturday, February 27th
Registration / Breakfast — (9:00 am to 10:00 am)
Opening Event / Keynote Address — (10:00 am to 11:00 am)
An opening event with an address from the Dean of the Howard University School of Business will officially introduce and commence the day’s activities. The Dean will usher in the keynote speaker—a notable, highly successful and illustrious business or public sector leader in Africa—to deliver the opening keynote address for the conference.
Session 1 — (11:10 am to 12:50 pm)
Panel 1: Media and Entertainment in Africa | A New Investment Horizon
Africa is home to one of the world’s fastest growing film industry; Nigeria being at the forefront. The Nigerian movie industry is valued in excess of $100 million with a production rate of approximately 2,500 movies a year; surpassing Hollywood to become the world’s second largest film producer in 2009 according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). Other notable strides in this industry are the Egyptian film industry valued at $70 million and the Ghanaian film industry which also recorded substantial growth in the last few years. More recent is the meteoric rise of the music industry in Africa; with the emergence of several African artistes to the global stage where they have received accolades for their works. This panel will feature major stake holders in the media and entertainment industry across Africa and aim to discuss and increase awareness on the vast investment opportunities in this industry, and also highlight the daunting challenges in the areas of distribution, piracy and quality control.
Lunch Break — (1:00 pm to 1:40 pm)
Session 2 — (1:50 pm to 3:30 pm)
Panel 2: Meeting the Challenge | Startup Capital for New Business Ventures
Unlike Asia, which has experienced astronomical and diverse flow of investments within the last decade, Africa creates a marked reluctance in the minds of investors due in part to political instability and the relatively high costs of investment on the continent. As such, Africa lags in attracting foreign direct investments (FDI) and the much needed capital for startups. Amid his crisis, a substantial number of new and viable business ventures have sprung up in Africa. This panel will thus feature successful African entrepreneurs from a wide array of industries that will share their experiences on raising capital for business, and help raise awareness on the growing microfinance sector in the financial market, as more Africans on the continent and in the Diaspora explore entrepreneurial possibilities.
Panel 3: Emerging Markets - Africa the Final Frontier
Africa a much neglected continent in terms of advancements in technology, infrastructure development and the optimization of natural and human resources has in the past 5 to 7 years witnessed a continental renaissance, evidenced by the increasing interest and role of China, India, France, Japan and other global emerging and developed market economies. Africa a relatively virgin continent in terms of sustainable economic development is ready and willing to welcome investors and the necessary investments required to spur the growth and development required to transform its economies, making them more relevant and integrated in the global 21st century economy. The Emerging Markets - Africa the Final Frontier panel will present and discuss the recent african economic renaissance, the growth trends in the past 5 to 7 years and the future opportunities, risks and challenges facing a continent touted as the final economic frontier.
Coffee Break — (3:40 pm to 4:00 pm)
Session 3 — (4:10 pm to 5:50 pm)
Panel 4: Africa’s Place in the Green Energy Revolution | The Future of Oil and Gas
For many years Africa has acted as one of the chief sources of energy by supplying coal, oil and gas to the world at large. It is worthy of note that the energy market is one of the biggest markets in the world economy accounting for trillions of dollars every year. Sadly, regardless of Africa’s vast store of energy reserves, the continent has benefitted little from this market because many African countries can barely power internal industrial processes today. As the world evolves towards alternatives to fossil fuels, the future of Africa has been called into question because the economics of many African nations still largely depend on the sale of fossil fuels. This panel will seek to address the role Africa will play in a world that is shifting away from fossil fuels as its main source of energy. It will discuss and seek to find solutions to Africa’s energy problems, and explore the present state of alternative energy sources like wind, solar and hybrid fuels in Africa. It will also project investment opportunities in alternative sources of energy, and address the future of the oil and gas industry.
Panel 5: Analyzing Policies and Regulatory Constraints in the African Business Environment
Regulations and Policies are created to make markets function better and meet society’s socioeconomic goals. However, even the most socially required regulations create costs that become unnecessary. The business environment in Africa presents a palpable example of how regulations and policies can become redtape and bottlenecks that curtail the pace of free trade and growth. In that light, this panel will feature professionals from different Howard University African Business Club business sectors in Africa with vast experience in dealing with the policies and policy makers in African countries. The aim of this panel is to examine existing policies that have been put in place to foster investment and new ventures in several sectors including agriculture, IT / telecommunication, financial services, media and entertainment. This panel will also highlight the various regulatory challenges that are prevalent in the African business spectrum and explore the future of policymaking in Africa.
Closing Banquet: Keynote Address and Leeds Bryan International African Business GAINS Award — (6:00pm to 9:00pm)
