By Gabriel Ameh
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, says the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Economic Conference (NIDEC) 2026 in Toronto, Canada, is not a diplomatic jamboree but a strategic platform to attract investment, create jobs and boost foreign exchange inflows into Nigeria.
Enikanolaiye stated this on Monday while addressing journalists at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, before departing with a Federal Government delegation for the four-day conference.
The minister was responding to concerns that some international engagements by previous administrations had yielded limited economic benefits.
He said the Tinubu administration’s realignment of its foreign policy around the four Ds — Demography, Development, Democracy and Diaspora — places emphasis on measurable outcomes from international engagements.
“This administration does not travel for jamborees. We travel for results,” Enikanolaiye said, adding that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had mandated a high-powered delegation led by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, because NIDEC 2026 was intended to serve as a “deal room” for Nigeria’s economic growth.
According to him, the conference will provide an opportunity to deepen Nigeria-Canada trade relations through engagements with senior Canadian officials, including the President of the Treasury Board, Shafqat Ali, and ministers from Ontario.
He said discussions would focus on trade opportunities, small and medium-sized enterprise partnerships and improved market access for Nigerian products in North America.
FG Targets Diaspora Investment and Job Creation
Enikanolaiye said the presence of institutions including the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and the Nigeria Revenue Service would enable Nigeria to present opportunities and incentives for diaspora investment.
He said the government would also explore ways to encourage diaspora capital repatriation, expand exports and develop investment vehicles linked to remittances.
The minister said such measures could increase foreign exchange inflows while supporting job creation in Nigeria.
Five Governors to Pitch State Investment Opportunities
The delegation also includes the governors of Anambra, Borno, Kaduna, Plateau and Zamfara states.
Enikanolaiye said the participation of the five governors would strengthen sub-national investment opportunities by allowing states to directly engage prospective investors in sectors including infrastructure, agriculture, technology and mining.
According to him, the approach would help decentralise investment opportunities and extend them beyond the Federal Capital Territory.
Nigeria Seeks Technology and Skills Partnerships
The minister also highlighted technology and skills transfer as another key objective of the conference.
He said the participation of the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, would support Nigeria’s efforts to secure partnerships in digital innovation, fintech and information technology capacity building.
He said such partnerships would contribute to the government’s broader digital economy agenda.
NIDEC to Strengthen Diaspora-Government Trust
Enikanolaiye said NIDEC 2026 was designed to connect investment-ready Nigerian projects with Nigerians in the diaspora and other potential investors.
He added that the conference would provide an avenue to address challenges faced by Nigerians abroad who seek to invest in the country while strengthening trust between the government and the Nigerian diaspora.
The minister noted that Nigeria received more than $20 billion in diaspora remittances in the previous year, saying the government wants to encourage the conversion of such financial flows into long-term investments, businesses and factories that can create employment.
“NIDEC 2026 is economic diplomacy in action. Nigeria is open for business. And we are going to Toronto to close deals,” he said.
The four-day NIDEC 2026, themed “Invest Nigeria, Thrive Abroad,” is scheduled to hold from August 12 to 15, 2026, in Toronto, Canada.
The conference 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 conference is expected to serve as a bridge connecting global capital with bankable investment opportunities in Nigeria.
