ABUJA — Plans are underway to host a major investment forum aimed at unlocking economic opportunities and accelerating sustainable development across the Niger Delta region.
The Niger Delta Investment and Economic Summit, conceived as a high-impact investment platform, is expected to bring together investors, policymakers, development partners and industry leaders to explore scalable and bankable opportunities in the oil-rich region.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to flag off the summit scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt, the River state capital.
Speaking during the inauguration of consultants for the summit, Chairman of the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCITMA), Ideare Gogo-Ogan, described the initiative as a strategic step toward unlocking the region’s vast economic potential.
Ogan expressed confidence that the team assembled to organise the summit would deliver a world-class investment platform capable of reshaping the economic narrative of the Niger Delta. According to him, while the region possesses enormous natural resources and economic opportunities, coordinated policies and strategic investment are needed to fully harness them.
The coordinating consultant for the summit is Tony Epelle, Managing Partner of Samuelson Advisory Partners, part of the Samuelson Consulting Group. Other consultants include marketing communications firm Neo Media and Marketing, founded by Ehi Braimah, and Ono K. Akpe of Red Sapphire Nig Ltd, a public relations and events management expert.
The summit is expected to feature keynote addresses, including one by Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, alongside goodwill messages, technical sessions and plenary discussions. Other highlights will include sector-specific investment forums, policy roundtables and deal-making platforms designed to address key economic issues affecting the region.
Organisers say the summit will attract key development partners, with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) expected to play a central role as a major supporter of the initiative.
The proposed theme for the event is “Driving Investment, Innovation, and Industrial Growth in the Niger Delta.”
According to the coordinating consultants, the summit aims to deliver measurable outcomes such as policy commitments, investment deals and strategic partnerships that will accelerate development across the region.
Key sectors expected to dominate discussions include energy transition, optimisation of the oil and gas value chain, agriculture, the blue economy, infrastructure development, manufacturing, technology and digital innovation, environmental sustainability and human capital development.
Organisers also plan to emphasise inclusive growth, peace-building, climate resilience and economic diversification across the Niger Delta, while encouraging stronger support for micro, small and medium-scale enterprises and youth-driven innovation.
