The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, has said the 2026 Nigeria Diaspora Investment Economic Conference (NIDEC) in Toronto, Canada, will be strictly focused on securing investments and economic opportunities for Nigeria, rather than serving as another ceremonial foreign engagement.
Enikanolaiye made the declaration in Abuja while briefing journalists ahead of his departure with a Federal Government delegation for the four-day conference scheduled for August 12–15.
The minister said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration had no room for unproductive foreign trips, stressing that NIDEC 2026 was designed as a strategic platform for attracting investment, creating jobs and increasing foreign exchange inflows.
“This administration does not travel for jamborees. We travel for results. Mr. President has mandated a high-powered delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, because NIDEC 2026 is a deal room for Nigeria’s growth,” he said.
According to him, the conference aligns with the administration’s realigned 4Ds Foreign Policy Agenda of Demography, Development, Democracy and Diaspora, while providing an avenue to deepen Nigeria-Canada economic relations.
He disclosed that senior Canadian officials, including Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali and ministers from Ontario, are expected to participate in the conference.
Enikanolaiye said discussions would centre on new trade agreements, small and medium enterprise partnerships and improved market access for Nigerian products in North America.
He said major Nigerian economic institutions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), would participate in efforts to promote diaspora capital repatriation, export expansion and remittance-backed investment vehicles.
The minister added that the participation of governors from Anambra, Borno, Kaduna, Plateau and Zamfara states would strengthen sub-national investment partnerships by enabling state governments to directly present bankable projects to prospective investors.
According to him, the projects would cut across infrastructure, agriculture, technology and mining, thereby broadening investment opportunities beyond Abuja.
He also said the participation of NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, would help Nigeria secure partnerships in digital innovation, fintech and information technology capacity building, in line with the Federal Government’s digital economy and skills development agenda.
On diaspora engagement, Enikanolaiye said NIDEC was designed to connect investment-ready Nigerian projects with high-net-worth Nigerians abroad while addressing obstacles confronting members of the diaspora seeking to invest in Nigeria.
He noted that Nigeria received more than $20 billion in diaspora remittances last year, stressing that the government’s objective was to transform the funds and goodwill into productive investments capable of establishing businesses, factories and sustainable jobs.
“NIDEC 2026 is economic diplomacy in action. Nigeria is open for business. And we are going to Toronto to close deals,” he said.
The conference, themed “Invest Nigeria, Thrive Abroad,” is organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) in collaboration with the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa and the Canadian High Commission in Abuja.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the event would serve as a bridge between global capital and bankable investment opportunities in Nigeria.
