Nigeria, June 8 -- When I was selected for the 2025 International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP), sponsored by the United States Department of State and the U.S government, I knew the experience would extend beyond a professional exchange. What I did not anticipate was how profoundly it would reshape my thoughts around trade, finance, development, culture, America, and the place of Africa in an increasingly interconnected world.

From the moment I arrived in the United States, there was a sense that this would be no ordinary journey. The programme brought together an eclectic global cohort of economists, financial analysts, policy researchers, government officials, trade specialists, and investment analysts from across Africa, Europe...