Nigeria Wins Country Hosting Right (CHR) For World Electronics Forum 2014

*Dr. Evans E. Woherem

The Board of Directors of the World Electronics Forum (WEF), through Consumer Electronics and Technologies Industry Association (CETIA) of Africa, has granted the Country Hosting Right (CHR) for the 19th World Electronics Forum 2014 to Nigeria.

WEF has also nominated Digital Africa Global Consult Limited, headed by Dr. Evans E. Woherem, as the event organizer. The 19th World Electronics Forum is therefore to be held alongside Digital Africa 2014 in Lagos, from May 20-22, 2014.

Digital Africa Global Consult is the promoter of the annual Digital Africa Conference & Exhibition, aimed at helping Africa to transit from being merely a consumer to become a major producer of ICT products, services and innovations.

The Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, led a high-powered delegation of ICT regulatory agencies to represent the federal Government of Nigeria at the inaugural Digital Africa held April 23-25, 2013 in Abuja.

The event was chaired by Mr. Oba Otudeko, the Chairman of Honeywell Group, First Bank Holdings Plc and Airtel Nigeria Limited, and a champion of inter-African trade. The conference attracted a list of distinguished speakers from Nigeria, USA, Germany, UK, Cameroon and Kenya.

President of WEF, Mr. Tony Smith, said “We look forward to bringing the decision makers of the world ICT and consumer electronics industry to Nigeria this year, and we believe that this is a tremendous opportunity for Nigeria and the rest of Africa”.

He added, “Nigeria has demonstrated its vast investment potentials by becoming the largest telecom market in Africa and the Middle East. The major goal of the 19th World Electronics Forum is therefore, to engage the African telecommunications and IT markets, using Nigeria as the window”.

Chairman of Digital Africa Global Consult Limited, Dr. Evans Woherem, said “We are very delighted to use our Digital Africa platform to bring the world’s leading technology stars not only to meet hundreds of credible business leaders and entrepreneurs drawn from Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Egypt, South Africa and the rest of the continent”. He reiterated that, “When it comes to the digital industry today, Africa is the last frontier and the toast of the rest of the world”.  

WEF is the forum of CEOs and Directors of the global electronics industry associations of the leading economies of the world including USA, China, Japan, Germany, Britain, India, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia, Russia, Brazil, Philippines, and Vietnam. The 18th edition was hosted by Vietnam in 2013, the 17th edition was held in Philippines in 2012, and the 16th edition has hosted by USA in 2011.

The Host Country and the Host City of the annual WEF have the privilege to showcase their investment potentials and opportunities to the highest-level leadership of the global electronics industry, comprising the world leading manufacturers of computers, tablets, telecom equipment, mobile phone handsets and accessories, consumer electronics, automotive electronics, aviation electronics, etc.