GUANGZHOU, CHINA — Founder and CEO of Maridady Motors Ltd., Eric Mwangi Ngigi, delivered a powerful address during a closed-door symposium at the prestigious 137th Canton Fair in China, where only seven select business leaders from across the globe were invited to participate.
Mwangi, who represented Kenya at the exclusive international forum, focused on discussing potential collaborations to advance the adoption of new energy vehicles in Kenya and the broader East African region, alongside other strategic areas.
He joined delegates from France, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and other leading global economies, all advocating for more inclusive international trade and development policies that can benefit emerging markets like those in Africa.
The Canton Fair, officially known as the China Import and Export Fair, is among the world’s largest trade exhibitions, attracting thousands of manufacturers, investors, and buyers from around the globe.
During the Buyers’ Symposium, Erick Mwangi addressed His Excellency Vice Premier He Lifeng
Photo: Vice Premier He Lifeng at the 137th Canton Fair
of the People’s Republic of China pushing for reforms that support African entrepreneurs and digital creators—particularly in relation to content monetization on platforms like TikTok.
“Your Excellency Vice Premier, our great youngsters in Nairobi and other cities in Africa are creating amazing African content using Chinese phones while happily wearing apparels made in China. It is my opinion, Your Excellency, that tech giants like TikTok should reciprocate their enthusiasm through easier monetization,” Mwangi stated.
“It is thus my humble submission that there is no reason why African content should not be rewarded as handsomely as that by youngsters from other parts of the world. Digital inequality is not a way to a sustainable and all-inclusive digital future.”
In addition to digital fairness, Mwangi used the opportunity to champion better visa policies for African entrepreneurs.
He proposed longer-term business visas to foster deeper cooperation and long-term projects between China and African nations.
He also emphasized the importance of educational collaboration, calling on China to offer more scholarships and technical training opportunities for African students.
The 137th Canton Fair runs from April 15 to May 5, 2025, setting the stage for global dialogue on innovation, trade, and inclusive growth.
