To deepen international development cooperation and spotlight transformative cross-sector partnerships, the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) participated in the 17th U.S.-Africa Business Summit, held from June 22–25, 2025, in Luanda, Angola.
Hosted by the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), the high-level summit brought together over 1,000 leaders from across the U.S. and Africa’s public and private sector leaders to chart new strategies for investment, trade, and sustainable development.
Driving Systems-Based Solutions Through Partnerships
Representing PIND at the summit, Mr. Sam Ogbemi Daibo, PIND’s Executive Director, contributed to a strategic panel discussion titled “Supercharging Public-Private-Philanthropic Partnerships.” The session focused on the critical role of collaborative models in addressing Africa’s most complex development challenges.Mr. Daibo shared insights from PIND’s 15-year journey of deploying evidence-based, locally owned solutions to promote peacebuilding and economic development in the Niger Delta. He emphasized that inclusive development must be co-created with the communities it serves.
“Sustainable change emerges when local actors are empowered, data guides our decisions, and partnerships are driven by shared value,” said Daibo. “Through targeted investments in youth, women, and grassroots peacebuilding, we’re laying the foundation for long-term stability and economic opportunity.”
Spotlighting Scalable Impact in the Niger Delta
At the summit, PIND spotlighted innovative high-impact programs that demonstrate how cross-sector partnerships can scale inclusive development:
- Youth Employment Pathways (YEP): Delivered in partnership with Ford Foundation, the initiative has equipped over 11,000 youth across the Niger Delta with market-relevant vocational, soft, and entrepreneurial skills.
- Access to Energy (A2E): Through the Power Africa HETA project, supported by USAID, PIND has expanded clean energy access to more than 3,500 households and MSMEs in off-grid communities.
- Partners for Peace (P4P): A grassroots peacebuilding network of over 10,000 peace actors, P4P has helped prevent or de-escalate more than 1,000 local conflicts, contributing to safer communities and enabling environments for development.
Advancing Regional and Global Development Priorities
The summit’s 17th edition
The summit’s 17th edition took place amid Angola’s 50th independence anniversary celebrations, signaling the country’s emergence as a continental development leader. Discussions spanned key sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, energy access, digital transformation, and trade facilitation—all of which align with PIND’s strategic focus areas in Nigeria’s Niger Delta.
PIND’s active presence reaffirmed its position as a leading convener and solutions platform for inclusive, community-led development in Africa’s resource-rich yet underserved regions.
Looking Ahead: Building Momentum for Equitable Growth
PIND’s participation in the U.S.-Africa Business Summit reinforces its commitment to driving sustainable, systemic change through robust partnerships and locally grounded interventions. As the organization advances into its Phase IV strategy, it remains focused on unlocking economic potential, deepening peacebuilding efforts, and catalyzing inclusive growth across the Niger Delta.
“The summit reminded us that Africa’s transformation depends not only on capital or technology, but on trust, collaboration, and local leadership,” Daibo concluded.
