UAE
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu says Nigeria will co-host Investopia with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Lagos in February, which is an initiative aimed at attracting global investors and accelerating sustainable investment inflows.According to local media reports, Tinubu disclosed the deal at the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), where Nigeria also concluded a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the UAE to deepen trade and cooperation in renewable energy, infrastructure, logistics, and digital trade.
Strategic Agreement
“We warmly invite our partners to join us and help build the next chapter of sustainable and shared prosperity for Nigeria, Africa, and the world,” President Tinubu said.He described the CEPA as a historic and strategic agreement that will also enhance cooperation in aviation, logistics, agriculture, and climate-smart infrastructure, creating enduring opportunities for the people of the two countries.
Nationwide Electricity Access
According to him, Investopia will bring together investors, innovators, policymakers, and business leaders to transform opportunities into commitment and ideas into investment.President Tinubu also said that Nigeria was aiming to mobilise up to $30 billion annually in climate and green industrial finance “as it accelerates energy transition reforms and expands nationwide electricity access”.
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Unfairly Penalise
He explained that the foundation of every modern economy is electricity. “As an emerging economy in the Global South, we understand the delicate balance between industrialisation and decarbonisation, ensuring neither is pursued at the expense of the other. We are calling for a fundamental shift in the global financial architecture: a move away from the restrictive requirement of sovereign guarantees, which unfairly penalise developing economies.
Finance And First-loss
”Instead, the focus should be on blended finance and first-loss capital mechanisms that allow private sustainable capital flows directly into our green projects without further straining national balance sheets,” he said.Nigeria, he noted, has strengthened its climate governance framework with the adoption of a National Carbon Market Activation Policy and the launch of a National Carbon Registry. He explained that these measures are aimed at improving transparency and investor confidence.
Prioritises Local Processing
President Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s target of net-zero emissions by 2060, under its Energy Transition Plan, while pursuing industrial growth and universal energy access.He invited foreign investors to partner in Nigeria’s lithium and critical minerals sector, stressing that the government prioritises local processing and value addition.