President Bola Tinubu has approved a high-level Nigerian delegation, led by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to attend the first Nigeria Diaspora Investment Economic Conference in Toronto, Canada.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission announced this in a statement on Friday.
The four-day conference, themed “Invest Nigeria, Thrive Abroad,” will take place from August 12 to 15. It is aimed at attracting investment from Nigerians living abroad and deepening economic ties between Nigeria and Canada.
The conference will focus on sectors including agriculture, technology, manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, healthcare and the digital economy.
Other members of the Nigerian delegation include Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum; Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo; Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani; Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang; and Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal.
The delegation also includes the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole; and Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
Representatives of key government agencies, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Revenue Service, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, Nigeria Export Promotion Council and the National Information Technology Development Agency, are also expected to attend.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the high-level representation shows the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding trade and investment ties with Canada.
“The calibre of officials attending the conference demonstrates President Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation between Nigeria and Canada through trade, investment and diaspora engagement,” she said.
Dabiri-Erewa said the conference was designed to go beyond discussions by connecting investors with viable opportunities in Nigeria.
She described it as an “outcome-driven investment platform” aimed at linking global investors with investment opportunities across the country.
Canadian officials expected at the conference include President of the Treasury Board, Shafqat Ali; Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, Graham McGregor; Brampton Mayor, Patrick Brown; and other government representatives.
NiDCOM is organising the conference in partnership with the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, the Canadian High Commission in Abuja and other stakeholders.
Nigeria is one of Africa’s major recipients of diaspora remittances, with billions of dollars sent into the country by Nigerians abroad each year, according to the World Bank.
The conference is expected to provide a platform for the government and private sector to engage members of the Nigerian diaspora on investment opportunities and explore new areas of economic cooperation between Nigeria and Canada.
