Nigeria will host the 2025 edition of Investopia, the UAE’s global Investment platform, at Eko Atlantic City in Lagos in September, marking the platform’s first African expansion. With the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms and a better business environment, this action demonstrates Nigeria’s increasing significance as an economic centre. Nigeria’s transformation as a stable, high-growth investment destination is reaffirmed by hosting the event, according to Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment Jumoke Oduwole. Under the direction of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, the UAE’s Minister of Economy, Investopia was established in 2021.
As a worldwide investment platform, it has made a name for itself by encouraging interaction between investors, business executives, and legislators. Africa is an important trading and investment partner for the United Arab Emirates, according to Bin Touq, who also mentioned that the Lagos event will provide chances in industries including energy, agriculture, fintech, artificial intelligence, and healthcare. In previous iterations, Investopia has brought together more than 2,600 attendees, including more than 1,600 senior executives and decision-makers, in financial centres such as New York, Monaco, Milan, and Tokyo.
Eko Atlantic City is a significant financial centre, the venue of choice.
With over 100 speakers from more than 20 countries and thousands of attendees, the 2025 Lagos event hopes to carry on this trend. To increase investment prospects, company matchmaking sessions will also be held throughout the event. Built on reclaimed territory off the coast of Victoria Island, Eko Atlantic City is a significant financial centre and the venue of choice. It is home to top-notch Infrastructure and acts as a key entry point for international investments in West Africa. Recent economic developments in Nigeria have established the country as a growing investment destination, especially in fields like Fintech and artificial intelligence (AI).
Furthermore, Nigeria’s GDP expanded at its quickest rate in three years in the fourth quarter of 2024, rising 3.84% year over year. The services sector, which grew by 5.37% over the same time period, was the main driver of this upturn. As a result, the GDP grew by 3.40% annually in 2024, compared to 2.74% in 2023. Positive developments have also been observed in FDI inflows. Foreign investment increased significantly from $1.1 billion in the first and fourth quarters of 2023 to $3.4 billion in the first quarter of 2024. Improved investor confidence as a result of monetary and fiscal reforms by the government is reflected in this increase.
Country still faces obstacles that could prevent long-term econ growth.
It is noteworthy, nevertheless, that a sizable amount of these inflows went into Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI), suggesting that short-term investments are currently preferred. International Investors have taken a keen interest in Nigeria’s fintech scene. An excellent illustration is the financial startup Moniepoint, based in Nigeria, which raised $110 million from investors, including Google’s Africa Investment Fund, to become a “unicorn” in October 2024. Tosin Eniolorunda, the CEO of Moniepoint, emphasised plans to use these funds for expansion throughout Africa, highlighting the enormous market potential of the continent.
Investopia has demonstrated its ability to promote international investment discussions. On December 19, 2024, about 150 senior executives from a range of industries, including advanced manufacturing, financial services, emerging economies, and investment, gathered in Tokyo for the Investopia Global event. By facilitating conversations on investment objectives and new trends, this meeting improved the economic relations between the participating countries. Nigeria still faces obstacles that could prevent long-term economic growth, notwithstanding these encouraging signs. For investors, economic uncertainty and regulatory complexity continue to be issues.
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Significant changes have been made by the Nigerian government to address these problems, including the elimination of long-standing Fuel Subsidies and the Devaluation of the Naira to reflect market conditions. These actions are intended to strengthen the investment climate and fiscal stability. Because of the country’s young population and rising smartphone penetration, Nigeria’s fintech industry is expanding quickly. Businesses like Moniepoint are successful because of the industry’s ability to improve financial inclusion and simplify payment methods. A strong Digital Economy is also demonstrated by the fact that in the second quarter of 2024, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector contributed around 20% of Nigeria’s real GDP growth.