Abuja, Aug. 6, 2026 — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the deployment of a high-level federal government delegation, led by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to the maiden Nigeria Diaspora Investment Economic Conference (NIDEC) scheduled to hold in Toronto, Canada.
The conference, themed “Invest Nigeria, Thrive Abroad,” will take place from August 12 to 15, 2026, and is aimed at strengthening economic ties and unlocking investment opportunities between Nigeria and Canada.
According to a statement issued by the Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the Commission’s Chairman/CEO, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the calibre of Nigeria’s delegation as a clear demonstration of President Tinubu’s commitment to promoting trade, investment, and economic cooperation between both countries.
Dabiri-Erewa noted that the conference would serve as a high-level, outcome-driven investment platform designed to deepen bilateral economic relations while connecting global stakeholders to Nigeria’s investment-ready opportunities.
Members of the Nigerian delegation include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; and several state governors, including Prof. Charles Soludo (Anambra), Prof. Babagana Zulum (Borno), Sen. Uba Sani (Kaduna), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara).
Other participants include Senator Ita Enang, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany; representatives from the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Revenue Service, and the Central Bank of Nigeria; as well as key agency heads such as Aisha Rimi (Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission), Nonye Ayeni (Nigeria Export Promotion Council), and Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi (National Information Technology Development Agency).
The Canadian delegation is also expected to feature top government officials, including Hon. Shafqat Ali, President of the Treasury Board of Canada; Hon. Graham McGregor, Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism; Hon. Deepak Anand, Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament; Mayor Patrick Brown of Brampton; Councillor Rod Power; and Hon. Charmaine Williams, Ontario Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, among others.
The NIDEC conference is being organised by NiDCOM in collaboration with the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, the Canadian High Commission in Abuja, and other key stakeholders.
Organisers say the event will serve as a strategic bridge linking global investors and diaspora communities to high-impact sectors critical to Nigeria’s economic growth and development.
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