By Ayomide Otitoju
Lagos State will host its largest gathering of foreign investors from Commonwealth member countries in June 2026, following a strategic partnership with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC).
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and CWEIC Chief Executive Officer Samantha Cohen signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Thursday at the State House, Marina, formally announcing the 2026 Lagos Trade and Investment Summit, tagged “Invest in Lagos 3.0.”
The two-day summit, scheduled to hold at Eko Hotels and Suites Convention Centre in Victoria Island, is expected to attract between 500 and 600 high-level delegates, including institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, development finance institutions, multinational corporations, and senior public sector officials from across the 56-member Commonwealth bloc.
Sanwo-Olu described the summit as a transaction-focused investment platform designed to facilitate capital alignment and measurable project conversion, rather than a ceremonial gathering. He said the initiative reflects Lagos’ commitment to positioning itself as a competitive sub-national economy capable of mobilising and structuring global capital.
According to the Governor, the summit will showcase investment-ready projects across key sectors, including transport infrastructure, logistics and port connectivity, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, housing, healthcare, and industrial development corridors. He added that the platform would also strengthen Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which account for over 70 per cent of economic activity in the state.
Sanwo-Olu noted that the event would also profile the Lagos International Financial Centre as a gateway for regional and international capital flows, while creating structured access channels for domestic enterprises seeking growth capital.
Cohen said Nigeria represents one of the Commonwealth’s strongest networks outside the United Kingdom, adding that shared legal systems, language, and trusted business relationships provide cost advantages of up to 21 per cent in trade among member countries. She noted that CWEIC would leverage its global network of strategic partners across 35 countries to attract a diverse pool of investors to Lagos.
The summit will feature plenary sessions, business roundtables, a Deal Room for structured transactions, bilateral meetings between chief executives and the Governor, as well as site visits.
Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Folashade Banda-Ambrose, described the partnership as a defining moment in Lagos’ growth trajectory, noting that global capital increasingly favours jurisdictions with credible governance, bankable project pipelines, and disciplined execution frameworks.
The signing ceremony followed a courtesy visit to the Governor by the CWEIC delegation, which included Country Chairman Olasupo Shasore (SAN), Advisory Board member Ayo Otuyalo, and Director Obinna Anyanwu, among others.
