PRESIDENT TINUBU: NIGERIA TO CO-HOST INVESTOPIA WITH UAE IN FEBRUARY, SIGNS TRADE PACT
President Bola Tinubu has announced that Nigeria will co-host Investopia with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Lagos in February, to attract global investors and boost sustainable investment inflows.
The announcement was made on Tuesday at the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), where Nigeria also signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the UAE to deepen cooperation in trade, renewable energy, infrastructure, logistics, aviation, agriculture, digital trade, and climate-smart infrastructure.
Present at the signing were President Tinubu; UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; and UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi.
President Tinubu described CEPA as a historic and strategic agreement that will create lasting opportunities for both countries. He said Investopia will convene investors, policymakers, innovators, and business leaders to convert ideas into investments.
Nigeria, he said, aims to mobilise up to $30 billion annually in climate and green industrial finance to accelerate energy transition reforms and expand electricity access nationwide.
He called for reforms in global finance, advocating blended finance and first-loss capital mechanisms instead of restrictive sovereign guarantees that disadvantage developing economies.
President Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s strengthened climate governance, including the National Carbon Market Activation Policy and National Carbon Registry, aimed at boosting transparency and investor confidence.
He described the Electricity Act 2023 as central to energy reforms, enabling decentralised power generation for underserved communities. He added that Nigeria has launched a $500 million distributed renewable energy fund backed by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, alongside a $750 million World Bank programme expected to provide clean electricity to over 17.5 million people.
The President reaffirmed Nigeria’s net-zero emissions target by 2060 under its Energy Transition Plan, while pursuing industrial growth and universal energy access. He also invited investors to partner in Nigeria’s lithium and critical minerals sector, with emphasis on local processing and value addition.
He noted that economic reforms are yielding results, including 21 per cent growth in non-oil exports, increased capital importation, and over $50 billion in investment commitments across key sectors.
Nigeria, he said, is ready to work with global partners to ensure future development is green, inclusive, just, and sustainable.
