Biden Nominates Nigerian-born Ebong as Director of Trade

President Joe Biden of the United States has nominated Nigerian-born Enoh Titilayo Ebong as Director of the country’s Trade and Development Agency (USDTA).

Ms Ebong grew up in Lagos. Her father, Ime James Ebong, was a Nigerian civil servant who served as permanent secretary.

The USDTA helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies.

USTDA also links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.

The president had appointed Ebong, whose name was submitted to the U.S. Senate along with those of other nominees to the president’s cabinet, as Acting Director of the USDTA, back in February, this year.

Ebong has a long history with USDTA, according to a statement on the Agency’s website. “The February appointment meant a return to USTDA where from 2004 to 2019, Ms. Ebong had served in a variety of roles, most recently as the Agency’s General Counsel, and Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer.

“As Acting Director, Ms. Ebong leads an agency that partners with the U.S. private sector to develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in emerging economies, while supporting U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services.”

Ebong said: “It is an honour to return to USTDA. The opportunity to lead the Agency comes at a critical moment when the world is turning to the United States for leadership on clean energy and climate-smart infrastructure, as well as safe and secure ICT solutions.

“The Agency is one of the most effective, targeted and proven tools within the U.S. government. I’ve long believed in USTDA’s mission and programme, which are fully aligned with the President’s vision of strengthening our economy and addressing climate as an essential component of American foreign policy and national security.”

Prior to her return to USTDA, Ms. Ebong served as the Head of Strategic Partnerships at the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, where she drove the development of strategic partnerships to expand access to education, health, financial empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Before joining USTDA in 2004, Ms. Ebong practiced law at the Boston office of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris and Popeo, P.C., representing public and private companies in public offerings, financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance issues.

She earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School, a Master of Arts in Communication from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Arts in History, with Honours, from The University of Edinburgh, Scotland. She is a member of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Bar.

Bennett Oghifo

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