President Bola Tinubu has approved the deployment of a high-powered Nigerian government delegation led by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to the inaugural Nigeria Diaspora Investment Economic Conference (NIDEC) scheduled to hold in Toronto, Canada.
The four-day investment summit, themed “Invest Nigeria, Thrive Abroad,” will take place from August 12 to 15, 2026, bringing together government officials, investors, business leaders, diaspora communities and international partners to explore new pathways for economic cooperation between Nigeria and Canada.
The participation of a senior-level Nigerian delegation underscores the Federal Government’s renewed push to position the Nigerian diaspora as a critical driver of economic growth, investment mobilisation and global partnerships.
In a statement issued by the Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the calibre of government representation at the conference reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to expanding trade, investment and economic cooperation between both countries.
She described NIDEC as more than an investment forum, saying it was designed as a strategic platform to connect global investors with opportunities in Nigeria while strengthening bilateral relations between Nigeria and Canada.
The Nigerian delegation includes key members of the Federal Executive Council, state governors and heads of critical economic institutions.
Among those attending are the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; and governors of Anambra, Borno, Kaduna, Plateau and Zamfara States — Prof. Charles Soludo, Prof. Babagana Zulum, Senator Uba Sani, Caleb Mutfwang and Dauda Lawal respectively.
Also listed among the delegates are Senator Ita Enang; representatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigeria Revenue Service; officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Aisha Rimi; Executive Director of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nonye Ayeni; and Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi.
The Canadian delegation is expected to feature senior government officials, including President of the Treasury Board of Canada, Hon. Shafqat Ali; Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, Hon. Graham McGregor; Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament for Mississauga-Malton, Hon. Deepak Anand; Mayor of Brampton, His Worship Patrick Brown; Councillor Rod Power of Brampton; and Ontario Minister of Women and Economic Opportunities, Hon. Charmaine Williams, among others.
NIDEC is being organised by NiDCOM in partnership with the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, the Canadian High Commission in Abuja, and other national and international stakeholders.
The conference is expected to serve as a major platform for showcasing investment-ready opportunities across critical sectors of Nigeria’s economy, including technology, trade, manufacturing, infrastructure, agriculture, energy and innovation.
With millions of Nigerians living and working abroad, the Federal Government is increasingly seeking to harness diaspora capital, expertise and networks to accelerate economic transformation and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a destination for global investment.
