President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a high‑powered federal delegation for the maiden Nigeria Diaspora Investment Economic Conference (NIDEC) in Toronto, Canada, as part of a renewed push to attract diaspora capital, deepen trade ties and position Nigeria as a preferred investment destination.
The delegation, to be led by the President’s chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, includes governors Babagana Umara Zulum (Borno), Charles Soludo (Anambra), Uba Sani (Kaduna), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau) and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), as well as senior federal ministers and officials.
The announcement was made in a statement by Abdur‑Rahman Balogun, Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols at the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM). The conference, themed “Invest Nigeria, Thrive Abroad,” will be held in Toronto from August 12 to 15, 2026, and will bring together senior government officials, global investors, business leaders, financial institutions and members of the Nigerian diaspora.
Gbajabiamila will head the Nigerian delegation, which also includes the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu‑Ojukwu; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; and Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji‑Ojo.
Representatives from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will also attend, reflecting a whole‑of‑government approach to attracting foreign direct investment and facilitating cross‑border business.
On the Canadian side, senior political and economic leaders expected at the conference include the President of the Treasury Board of Canada, Shafqat Ali; Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism Graham McGregor; Ontario lawmaker Deepak Anand; Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown; Councillor Rod Power; and Ontario Minister of Women’s Economic Opportunities Charmaine Williams.
NiDCOM chair Abike Dabiri‑Erewa said 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 described the event as an outcome‑driven platform designed to connect international investors with “investment‑ready” opportunities across strategic sectors of the Nigerian economy while reinforcing bilateral economic relations.
Organised by NiDCOM in collaboration with the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, the Canadian High Commission in Abuja and other stakeholders, the conference will focus on high‑impact sectors including agriculture, technology, manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, healthcare and the digital economy.
The Tinubu administration has increasingly placed diaspora engagement at the centre of its economic agenda, recognising Nigerians abroad as a key source of investment, innovation, skills transfer and remittances. According to the World Bank, Nigeria is consistently among Africa’s largest recipients of diaspora remittances, with inflows in the billions of dollars annually. By convening the inaugural NIDEC, the federal government hopes to convert those financial flows into long‑term investments to accelerate industrialisation, create jobs and boost sustainable economic development.
