Market News

BY Wasiu Alli 

Nigeria plans to debut its first-ever national pavilion at the World Economic Forum in Davos next January, using the global gathering to sharpen its pitch to foreign investors and rebuild foreign direct investment pipelines strained by years of policy uncertainty and capital flight.

The country will launch Nigeria House at the 56th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, holding January 19–23, 2026, marking its inaugural national house presence at the event in more than five decades. The invitation-only hub, located along the Davos Promenade, is designed to move Nigeria’s engagement beyond symbolism toward structured deal-making and post-forum capital commitments.

Officials say the platform will focus on converting investor interest into bankable transactions by pairing policy clarity with investment-ready projects and credible private-sector partners—an approach aimed at shortening deal cycles and accelerating capital inflows into one of Africa’s largest economy.

“Nigeria’s focus is on deepening reforms, strengthening foreign direct investment pipelines, and translating global interest into real economic outcomes,” Industry, Trade and Investment Minister Jumoke Oduwole said in a statement. “Nigeria House at the World Economic Forum reflects our commitment to policy clarity, credible partnerships, and sustainable value creation.”

FDI inflows into Nigeria have lagged regional peers in recent years, pressured by foreign-exchange shortages, high inflation and shifting regulatory signals, even as recent reforms—including exchange rate liberalisation and subsidy removals—seek to restore investor confidence.

Nigeria House is intended to serve as a fixed interface between policymakers and global capital at a time of intensifying competition for investment across emerging markets.

The five-day programme is structured around four priority sectors aligned with the government’s reform agenda: solid minerals, mining value chains, trade infrastructure and agriculture; climate investment, energy and environmental sustainability; digital trade and technology; and the creative economy and cultural exports.

Each day will feature sector-focused investor roundtables, bilateral meetings and policy dialogues, culminating in a cross-sector session aimed at defining post-Davos investment pathways.

Organisers say the emphasis will be on institutional investors, development finance institutions and multinational executives, with discussions spanning gas-to-power projects, renewables, mining value chains, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and cultural exports such as film and music.

Nigeria House represents a shift from episodic participation at Davos to a coordinated national presence anchored on measurable outcomes, according to the organisers. Programming will include high-level panels, closed-door meetings and cultural showcases, with follow-through mechanisms designed to sustain engagement after the forum ends.

The initiative is endorsed by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment and executed by Eviola & Co Integrated Services LTD, Lex – Con Advisory Services LTD, UFAM Services Nigeria LTD, working with local and international partners. Sponsors of the event include Bank Of Agriculture, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Nepal Energies, UFAM Services Nigeria LTD, Coronation Group and Sunbeth Global Concepts.

Others include Redwire Group, Aruwa Capital, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), The Osa Okunbo Foundation, Wigwe & Partners, ABinBev Africa and Roxettes Group.

Organisers describe it as a pan-Nigerian public-private platform intended to align policy, capital and enterprise at a time of global economic realignment.

For Nigeria, the Davos debut is less about visibility and more about signalling that reforms are translating into investable opportunities, an argument policymakers will be making directly to global capital in January.