Nigeria will co-host Investopia with the United Arab Emirates in Lagos this February as President Bola Tinubu intensifies efforts to attract global capital and fast-track sustainable investment inflows.
The President announced the initiative on Tuesday at the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, where Nigeria also concluded a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the UAE. The deal is designed to deepen bilateral trade and cooperation across renewable energy, infrastructure, logistics and digital trade.
The CEPA was signed in the presence of President Tinubu, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, and the UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi.
Describing the agreement as historic and strategic, Tinubu said it would strengthen collaboration in aviation, agriculture, climate-smart infrastructure and logistics while creating long-term opportunities for both countries.
He said Investopia Lagos would convene investors, innovators, policymakers and business leaders, turning opportunities into commitments and ideas into bankable investments.
Nigeria, he told the summit, aims to mobilise up to 30 billion dollars annually in climate and green industrial finance as it accelerates energy transition reforms and expands nationwide electricity access.
Tinubu stressed the need for a rethink of global financial architecture, urging a shift from sovereign guarantees to blended finance and first-loss capital mechanisms that allow private capital to flow directly into green projects.
He noted that Nigeria has strengthened its climate governance framework through a National Carbon Market Activation Policy and the launch of a National Carbon Registry to improve transparency and boost investor confidence.
The President highlighted the Electricity Act 2023 as a cornerstone of energy reforms, enabling decentralised power generation for underserved communities. He added that a 500 million dollar distributed renewable energy fund backed by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and a 750 million dollar World Bank programme are set to expand clean electricity access to more than 17.5 million people.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s net-zero target by 2060, Tinubu invited investors to partner in lithium and other critical minerals, with a focus on local processing and value addition.
He said ongoing economic reforms are delivering results, including a 21 per cent rise in non-oil exports and more than 50 billion dollars in investment commitments across key sectors.
