Tinubu appoints Gbajabiamila to head Nigerian delegation to Canada investment conference

President Bola Tinubu has approved the composition of a Federal Government delegation that will represent Nigeria at the inaugural Nigeria Diaspora Investment Economic Conference scheduled to take place in Toronto, Canada.

The delegation will be led by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and 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.

The conference, themed “Invest Nigeria, Thrive Abroad,” is expected to hold from August 12 to 15 in Toronto.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission announced the development in a statement posted on its official X handle on Friday.

Other members of the delegation include 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 statement added that representatives of key government agencies and institutions will also participate, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Revenue Service, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, Nigeria Export Promotion Council, and the National Information Technology Development Agency.

Canadian officials expected at the event include Shafqat Ali, President of the Treasury Board of Canada; Graham McGregor, Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism; Ontario legislator Deepak Anand; Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown; Councillor Rod Power; and Ontario Minister of Women and Economic Opportunities, Charmaine Williams.

According to NiDCOM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the level of participation by senior Nigerian and Canadian officials reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to deepening economic cooperation between both countries through trade, investment, and diaspora engagement.

She described the conference as an outcome-driven investment platform aimed at connecting global investors with investment-ready opportunities in critical sectors of the Nigerian economy while also strengthening bilateral economic ties between Nigeria and Canada.

The conference is being organised by NiDCOM in collaboration with the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, the Canadian High Commission in Abuja, and other stakeholders.

Discussions will focus on sectors such as agriculture, technology, manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, healthcare, and the digital economy.

The Nigeria Diaspora Investment Economic Conference is the first investment-focused forum organised by the Federal Government through NiDCOM to promote stronger economic partnerships between Nigeria and its diaspora community.