The maiden edition of the Nigeria-Canada Trade & Investment Summit and Awards (NICATISA) has officially opened at the Homewood Suites & Hampton by Hilton, Toronto Airport, drawing nearly 300 delegates from government, the private sector, and civil society.
Organized under the patronage of the Nigeria-Canada Parliamentary Friendship Group and the House Committee on Nigeria-Canada Parliamentary Relations, the two-day summit is poised to chart a new path of economic cooperation anchored on Nigeria’s Renewed Hope reforms and Canada’s shared vision for sustainable prosperity.
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Delivering the keynote address, Ambassador Nura Abba Rimi, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, described the event as “a pivotal moment in our Nigeria-Canada relationship.”
“Under President Bola Tinubu’s bold Renewed Hope reforms, we have witnessed an unprecedented uplift in our business environment, attracting both diaspora capital and global investors,” he said.
Ambassador Rimi highlighted six cornerstone achievements of the reform agenda:
Executive Orders streamlining company registration, licensing, and customs clearance, cutting red tape by 40%.
Fiscal reforms eliminating fuel subsidies and redirecting savings to critical infrastructure.
Special Economic Zones launched to catalyse manufacturing and export-oriented industries.
Digitalisation of trade processes—including e-customs, e-registration, and e-invoicing—boosting transparency.
Central Bank measures liberalising foreign exchange, incentivising remittances, and stabilising the naira.
Passage of the Investment Promotion Bill, guaranteeing investor protections and repatriation rights.
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“These reforms are not abstract policy statements,” he added. “They have translated into 15 per cent annual GDP growth in non-oil sectors and a surge of joint-venture inquiries from Europe, Asia, and North America.”
Over the course of the summit (27–28 August), NICATISA delegates are expected to:
Advance negotiations on a Nigeria-Canada Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA)
Finalise regulatory memoranda between NAFDAC–CFIA and Nigeria Customs–CBSA
Chart a roadmap for direct air connectivity through a Bilateral Air Services Agreement
Launch the Nigeria-Canada Binational Chamber of Commerce
Showcase women- and youth-led enterprises poised for cross-border expansion
With President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda laying the foundation, NICATISA 2025 aims to translate policy reforms into tangible partnerships, fostering new channels of commerce and cooperation to enrich both nations.