Canada–Africa business conference: Lagos 2026

Canada’s push to turn diplomatic outreach into bankable deals will be in focus this month as Lagos hosts the 6th Canada–Africa business conference, a two-day meeting that is fast becoming the main platform for Canadian and Nigerian decision-makers to align trade and investment ambitions.

Ottawa signals a Nigeria-anchored export strategy

The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business will convene the conference in Lagos from 24–25 June 2026, with dozens of Canadian companies expected to attend. The timing follows a high-level visit to Nigeria by Canada’s Secretary of State (International Development), Randeep Sarai, from 21–22 May 2026. During that visit, he highlighted the Lagos meeting as a cornerstone of Canada’s economic engagement with Africa.

Sarai framed Canada’s approach around a shifting global growth map. He argued that cities such as Lagos, Nairobi and Accra now shape the “next chapter of global growth” as much as London, New York and Toronto. His remarks position Nigeria not only as a bilateral priority but as a regional gateway for Canadian firms across West and Central Africa.

Ottawa’s trade team is reinforcing that message. Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu has underlined that Nigeria is Canada’s second-largest merchandise trading partner in Africa. Nigeria is also a key market as Canada seeks to double its non-US exports by 2035. That export target is emerging as a central reference point for Canada’s Africa policy. It places greater weight on partnerships with fast-growing, reform-minded economies.

For investors, the conference offers a concentrated view of how policy rhetoric could translate into mandates, term sheets and cross-border joint ventures. The agenda spans trade, investment, financing, infrastructure, retail expansion, technology and energy. Participation includes business leaders, institutional partners and senior government representatives from both countries.

Banks, security and deal-making capacity on the ground

The private sector architecture around the conference is also notable. Garreth Bloor, president of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business, has singled out Zenith Bank Plc as a lead financial institution for Canadian companies operating across Africa. Zenith will serve as headline sponsor of the Lagos meeting. This signals local banking capacity to structure cross-border transactions, provide risk-mitigation instruments and support working-capital and project-finance needs.

Zenith’s group managing director and chief executive, Dame Adaora Umeoji, describes the event as an “important platform” to deepen Canada–Nigeria trade and investment. She also highlights its role in advancing partnerships that support shared growth, innovation and sustainable prosperity. For Canadian corporates and funds, a strong Nigerian banking partner reduces execution risk. This matters especially in infrastructure, power and consumer expansion, where local currency funding and regulatory navigation are critical.

Security and operational resilience also feature. GardaWorld Security – Africa, which has operated in Nigeria for more than a decade and runs infrastructure in 13 African countries, is backing the conference. Managing director Mike Gibson positions the firm as a “global champion” in tailored security services and technology solutions. He stresses its commitment to helping clients thrive in Nigeria and across the continent. For investors weighing first-time entries or scale-ups, the presence of an established security provider with Canadian roots adds another layer of comfort.

The sector focus aligns with Canada’s comparative strengths. Sidhu expects Canadian participation to concentrate on financial services, infrastructure, energy, mining, agriculture and clean technologies. These match Nigerian priorities around power reliability, climate-smart agriculture, value-added mineral development and urban infrastructure. That alignment increases the likelihood that conference discussions can move quickly towards bankable projects.

The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business frames the Lagos forum as part of a broader effort to strengthen private-sector-led economic ties between Canada and African markets and to support trade diversification beyond the United States.

For institutional investors and corporates, the 6th Canada–Africa business conference will be a useful barometer of whether Canadian capital and capability are ready to scale in Nigeria’s fast-growing economy. More importantly, it will signal which specific transactions begin to emerge in the months that follow.

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