Dr. Amy Jadesimi, MD LADOL, has urged the United Nations to support private sector companies in low income high growth economies such as Nigeria. Dr. Amy made the call while speaking at the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) business forum recently held at the UN headquarters in New York.

She said the private sector in high growth countries are increasingly operating sustainably because of their “winning business strategy”.

Some of Dr. Amy’s comments at the forum are listed below.

“LADOL is a great case study for the significance and rapid impact indigenous sustainable business can have in high-growth, low-income markets”

“There is a sense that the direction of travel with regards to SDGs is going in the wrong direction but there is a dichotomy between low-growth wealthy countries where sustainability will be resisted. In wealthy countries you are asking people to give up something they have in their hands for a promise of a better future. In low-income, high-growth countries, where the majority of the world’s population lives and will increasingly live, there are wide open opportunities and real local private companies are moving in the right direction.”

“The real private sector in high-growth countries is increasingly operating sustainably because this is the winning business strategy.”

“Governments in wealthy countries will need to step up and impose strict regulatory policies to ensure their private sector operates sustainably both at home and abroad. Governments in poorer countries should please focus on providing a level playing field, so the private sector can invest, add value and create prosperity”

“The private sector can lead and invest in achieving the SDGs, but they must have access.”

“I urge the UN to take up the cause of creating level playing fields in all markets. The venerable institutions represented here should also focus on preventing multinationals from colluding with certain government officials and politically exposed people in low-income, high-growth countries to impose monopolies in those countries that actively and maliciously stop the real private sector from participating in and bringing sustainability to these markets”

“Access to water for all is critical; private sector can play a huge rule in providing solutions even in the most challenging situations. However, we should ensure that they have access and are not crowded out by NGOs and/or government policies.”

“The B Team Africa is a great organisation through which private sector companies can come together, share best practice and lobby for change. It is also one of the organisations that is giving a voice to indigenous companies – we know what we need to do, but we need to work together to do it.”

“Low-income, high-growth countries are the engine that will drive the world towards sustainability. I urge the UN and the delegates present to focus on policies and solutions to effectively engage with and support the real private sector companies in these regions”

“All businesses should be long-term focused”

“I hope the UN will help enforce regulations against companies that violate human rights and perpetuate the worst practices of the status quo, while simultaneously focusing on policies and solutions that engage and empower the real private sector companies in high-growth markets to flourish.”

A panel discussion with Sanda Ojiambo, Lars Lindoe, and Amy Jadesimi on the topic of “Private Sector Leading Innovative Change”, moderated by Robert Skinner.
The event took place on the side of the 2018 High-Level Political Forum (2018 HLPF). Click the image for full video.

At the forum, LADOL showed its commitment to SDG number 9: “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”