Last month in Algiers, the state I govern, Cross River, signed an agreement with the African Export-Import Bank to host the 2026 African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network Investment Conference. The event is intended to forge the cooperation needed to scale up trade and investment across African cities and regions.
As Governor, it is an honour to be hosting an array of investors, financiers, and key stakeholders driving Africa's transformation. I may be biased - don't we all think our child is the most wonderful? - but I truly believe that Cross River is one of Africa's hidden jewels. Indeed, few places can match the beauty and diversity of Cross River - nestled in the rainforests of West Africa, bordered by the boundless blue of the Atlantic Ocean and the "Africa in miniature" that is the Central African nation of Cameroon. Ecological, linguistic, and culinary richness are just three of Cross River's many endowments, alongside a complex history shaped by the slave trade and colonial influence.
Imposing mountains, ancient kingdoms, vast plantations and forests, iconic waterfalls, Africa's largest collection of monoliths, West Africa's biggest street carnival, and the last remaining drill monkeys in Nigeria - this is the Cross River we know and want to share with the world.