Tinubu Appoints Gbajabiamila to Lead Nigerian Delegation to Canada Investment Conference

President Bola Tinubu has approved a high-level Federal Government delegation, led by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to represent Nigeria at the maiden Nigeria Diaspora Investment Economic Conference scheduled to hold in Toronto, Canada, from August 12 to 15, 2026.

The conference, themed “Invest Nigeria, Thrive Abroad,” is aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between Nigeria and Canada while promoting investment opportunities through engagement with the Nigerian diaspora.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) via its official X handle, the delegation includes five state governors: Babagana Zulum of Borno, Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra, Uba Sani of Kaduna, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara.

Also expected to participate are the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, and the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

The Federal Government delegation will also feature representatives of key agencies, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigeria Revenue Service, the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

On the Canadian side, expected participants include Shafqat Ali, President of the Treasury Board of Canada; Graham McGregor, Ontario’s Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism; Ontario lawmaker Deepak Anand; Patrick Brown, Mayor of Brampton; Councillor Rod Power; and Charmaine Williams, Ontario’s Minister of Women and Economic Opportunities.

NiDCOM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the calibre of government officials attending the conference reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening trade, investment and economic ties between Nigeria and Canada through active diaspora engagement.

She described the gathering as more than a conventional conference, explaining that it has been designed as an outcome-oriented investment platform that will connect global investors with investment-ready opportunities across strategic sectors of Nigeria’s economy.

According to the statement, the conference is being organised by NiDCOM in partnership with the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, the Canadian High Commission in Abuja, and other stakeholders.

Discussions will focus on investment opportunities in agriculture, technology, manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, healthcare and the digital economy.

The conference marks the first investment-focused initiative organised by the Federal Government through NiDCOM to strengthen economic partnerships between Nigeria and its diaspora community.

The World Bank estimates that Nigeria remains one of Africa’s largest recipients of diaspora remittances, receiving billions of dollars annually from citizens living abroad.