- The Federal Government and EnergyNet will host the Nigeria Now Global Investors Expo in November 2026 alongside the country’s first Youth Energy Summit.
- The multi-sector platform will target investment across mining, power, infrastructure, oil and gas, manufacturing and trade.
ABUJA, Nigeria – August 7, 2026 – The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, in partnership with EnergyNet Limited and a coalition of government and industry stakeholders, used a press briefing in Abuja, August 7, 2026 to formally unveil plans for the Nigeria Now Global Investors Expo 2026, a new national platform aimed at drawing foreign direct investment (FDI) into mining, power, infrastructure, oil and gas, and trade. The maiden edition is scheduled to hold in November 2026 and will run alongside Nigeria’s first Youth Energy Summit.
A National Platform for a Broader Investment Story
Organisers described the Expo as a deliberate departure from single-sector investment events, positioning it instead as a cross-cutting national platform that links mining, power, manufacturing, infrastructure, oil and gas, trade and investment. Representatives of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development said the timing reflects a broader government push to diversify Nigeria’s revenue base and reduce reliance on a narrow set of sectors, noting that mining, industrial and infrastructure development are interdependent and cannot be advanced in isolation.
A statement delivered on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development set out the government’s priorities for the sector: shifting from the export of raw, unprocessed minerals toward local processing, manufacturing and stronger linkages with the wider economy. The Ministry said this shift requires patient capital, technical expertise, modern equipment and investors willing to comply with the law, protect host communities and the environment, and maintain transparent relationships with government and other stakeholders.
In addition, the briefing confirmed that four federal ministries are jointly involved in shaping the Expo: Solid Minerals Development, Industry, Trade and Investment, Power, and Petroleum Resources. Officials said this reflects the reality that mining, processing and manufacturing projects depend on reliable energy, infrastructure, financing and predictable regulation, and that no single ministry can address these requirements alone.
State governments were also flagged as key participants, given that mineral resources and investment projects are located within states and communities and that project success depends on cooperation at that level. Organisers said the Expo will give states room to present projects and infrastructure needs directly to investors.
Government’s Message: Consistency, Compliance and Value Addition
The Ministry’s statement placed particular emphasis on Nigeria’s Minerals and Mining Act, noting that the 2007 law has been amended to align with current best practice and sector realities. Officials referenced recent enforcement action against illegal mining operators as evidence of the government’s commitment to formalising the sector, and pointed to a dedicated department for artisanal and small-scale mining as part of that effort.
“A mine cannot operate effectively without reliable power, without roads, railways, processing facilities, access to financing, and predictable regulation.”
– Statement delivered on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development
In addition, the Ministry called on investors, project developers, financial institutions, technology companies, professional bodies and development partners to engage actively in the preparation process ahead of the Expo, and urged the media to report accurately on the Expo’s objectives and to help the public distinguish credible investment activity from unsupported claims.
EnergyNet: ‘Nigeria Is Ready for a New Approach’
Speaking for EnergyNet, Abdoulaye Sylla described the Expo as a response to fifteen years in which Nigeria has struggled to capture FDI at a scale matching its opportunity, and pointed to reform momentum under the current administration as the trigger for re-entering the Nigerian market. EnergyNet noted it last convened a major gathering in the country in 2018, and that its decision to return follows an extended period of market research and consultation with government.
EnergyNet said the Expo will draw on its network of development finance institutions (DFIs), technology providers and developers built over more than three decades of operation, including participants from a recent Africa Energy Forum that drew roughly 3,500 clients. Organisers said they expect 500 to 600 attendees at the November gathering, and that registrations are already underway.
Officials described the initiative as being planned as a recurring, multi-year platform rather than a one-off event, with organisers indicating they intend to grow it into one of the company’s flagship regional gatherings over time.
A First: Youth Energy Summit Runs Alongside the Expo
For the first time, the Expo will be held alongside a dedicated Youth Energy Summit, scheduled for Friday, November 20, in Abuja. Abdoulaye Sylla linked the initiative to a wider goal of building a 100-million-strong youth network across the continent through partnerships spanning industry, government, global institutions and education, and connected it to EnergyNet’s broader mission of accelerating electrification while unlocking jobs for roughly a tenth of the population it serves.
Furthermore, Damilola Hamid-Balogun of the Youth Sustainable Development Network said the ambition is to meaningfully engage the next generation of stakeholders in Nigeria’s energy transition, referencing the country’s 2060 net-zero pledge made at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021. Speakers noted that more than 60 percent of Nigeria’s population is under 25, and argued that young people should be positioned as co-creators of Nigeria’s investment story rather than only as beneficiaries of it.
Questions from the Press
Responding to questions on how the Expo would address the concerns of artisanal and small-scale miners who have long felt underserved by the sector, Ministry representatives pointed to the minister’s seven-point agenda for the solid minerals sector, the creation of a department dedicated to artisanal and small-scale mining, and recent enforcement action against illegal operators as evidence of a broader effort to formalise and support the sector.
On what distinguishes the Nigeria Now Expo from previous investment events, EnergyNet representatives said the platform’s multi-sector scope, spanning mining, infrastructure, finance, taxation and ports rather than energy alone, combined with its national (rather than regional or city-level) framing and its pairing with the Youth Energy Summit set it apart from earlier gatherings, including EnergyNet’s own 2018 event in Nigeria.
Next Steps
- EnergyNet Limited and participating institutions will maintain an ongoing work programme covering stakeholder engagement, project selection, investor outreach, exhibitions, media activities and post-event follow-up between now and November.
- Federal ministries, state governments and industry partners are expected to continue coordination meetings ahead of the Expo.
- Registration for the Expo and the Youth Energy Summit is open, with further programme details to be released in the coming months.
About the Organisers
EnergyNet Limited is an international events and investment-facilitation company that has operated across Africa’s energy and infrastructure sectors for more than three decades, convening platforms including the Africa Energy Forum. The Nigeria Now Global Investors Expo 2026 is being organised under the patronage of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, in coordination with the Federal Ministries of Industry, Trade and Investment; Power; and Petroleum Resources.
The Youth Energy Summit is convened as an EnergyNet initiative in partnership with the Youth Sustainable Development Network, aimed at connecting young professionals with government, industry and international stakeholders shaping Nigeria’s energy transition.