Mr.Bassey Essien
As part of efforts to stimulate economic growth and attract more than $500 million in foreign direct investment into Nigeria, the World International Economic Group (WIEG) has announced plans to host an International Investment Summit on Feb. 25 and 26 at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Disclosing this at a press conference in Lagos on Friday, a member of the group, Mr. Bassey Essien, said that a two-day investment summit, themed “Nigeria’s Next Frontier: Unlocking Sustainable Investments for Economic Transformation,” is aimed at helping businesses harness opportunities, maximise available resources and respond strategically to market trends.
Essien said the initiative has become necessary as many small business operators continued to face challenges such as limited access to finance and gaps in investment readiness, despite ongoing government policies.
He further said that WIEG intends to drive economic transformation by connecting policy, private capital and investment-ready enterprises.
In his words, “more than 20 investors from Malaysia, alongside participants from Angola and South Africa, are expected at the event, which will feature over 500 participants, more than 50 exhibitors and over 70 speakers”.
“Enterprises that succeed understand the importance of preparation. Some invest as much as N200 million in professional feasibility studies to meet the standards of banks and institutions such as the African Development Bank. That level of preparation enables access to collateral-free funding,” he said.
“Policies often change with governments, and there is little tracking after interventions. More importantly, many businesses are not prepared in ways financiers require,” Essien noted.
He explained that the summit would convene policymakers, investors, development finance institutions and pre-screened MSMEs and SMEs operating in priority sectors, including the creative industry, agriculture, energy transition, finance and aviation.
Mr. Essien briefing the media on friday in Lagos
Essien however described the creative sector as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy, accounting for about 2.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product, but said weak financing structures, piracy and poor intellectual property (IP) protection had limited its growth.
Highlighting the summit programme, he said Day One would feature conferences on macroeconomic issues, policy reforms and enterprise growth, while Day Two would focus on sector-specific deal-making roundtables.
He noted that the President of WIEG, Muhammed Fathulah, would lead the Malaysian delegation, describing the country’s bilateral trade with Nigeria as exceeding $1 billion annually.
Essien said the summit was a private-sector-driven initiative designed to deliver practical outcomes for small and medium-scale enterprises across sectors including aviation, the creative industry, agriculture, finance, energy and infrastructure.
Mr Essien Bassey and other Participants at the Press briefing
He added that the WIEG Investment Summit 2026 would bring together global investors, policymakers organised by sector — from aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) to renewable energy — with lawyers, financiers and policymakers present to fast-track transactions,” he said.
Essien added that the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) would be present to ensure post-event monitoring and tracking of investment deals concluded during the summit.
He disclosed that the creative economy segment would be supported through partnerships with the Association of Movie Producers of Nigeria (AMP) and financial institutions to fund viable projects in Nollywood, music and fashion.
“Intellectual property regularisation is critical. Once ideas are properly documented and protected, investors gain confidence,” he said.
Essien further reiterated that investors had already committed to raising more than $500 million in capital, alongside the planned signing of several memoranda of understanding and public-private partnership frameworks during the summit.
