The ongoing Niger Delta Economic and Investment Summit is seeking to attract investments, strengthen businesses and accelerate economic growth across the region.
The three-day summit, organised by the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCITMA), is holding from September 15 to 17, 2026, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
With the theme, “Driving Investment, Innovation and Industrial Growth in the Niger Delta,” the summit brings together government representatives, investors, financial institutions, entrepreneurs, development partners and other stakeholders.
According to NDCCITMA, the summit is designed to move beyond discussions by creating opportunities for actual investments and business partnerships across the nine Niger Delta states.
The Chairman of NDCCITMA, Idaere Gogo Ogan, said the initiative was aimed at transforming the region from an economy heavily dependent on oil and gas into a more diversified and competitive economic hub.
The summit is focusing on sectors including agriculture and agro-processing, manufacturing, oil and gas, maritime and blue economy, renewable energy, tourism, transportation and the digital economy.
These sectors are expected to provide opportunities for businesses while creating new sources of employment and income for residents of the region.
Ogan also identified the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the nine Niger Delta states as important partners in developing a sustainable investment ecosystem.
The NDDC Director of Commercial and Industrial Development, Lyna Okara, said the summit could strengthen economic integration among the states and produce practical outcomes such as investment commitments, project partnerships, financing opportunities and policy recommendations.
For small and medium-sized enterprises, increased access to finance and markets could also provide opportunities to expand operations and participate in larger regional value chains.
The summit is equally expected to encourage collaboration between local businesses and international investors by showcasing investment-ready projects and connecting project developers with potential financiers.
NDCCITMA has said the initiative will address some of the structural challenges affecting businesses in the region, including infrastructure gaps, limited access to capital, regulatory barriers and the need for sustainable development.
The focus on industrialisation and value-added production could also help the Niger Delta retain more economic value within the region instead of relying mainly on the extraction of raw resources.
Beyond investment, the organisers are positioning the summit as a platform for innovation, skills development and stronger cooperation between the public and private sectors.
If the proposed partnerships and investment commitments are successfully implemented, the organisers believe the initiative could contribute to job creation, enterprise growth and broader economic diversification across the Niger Delta.
The success of the summit, however, will ultimately depend on how effectively agreements reached during the event are converted into funded projects, operating businesses and long-term economic opportunities.
Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCITMA); Radio Nigeria South South. (ndccitma.ng)
