Lagos Nigeria June 17thand 18th2024, a high-level business delegation from Canada, under the leadership of Mr. Victor Dodig, who serves as the President and CEO of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) and also as the Chairman of the Business Council of Canada, embarked on a visit to Nigeria. This significant visit was facilitated by the African Capital Alliance (ACA) in collaboration with the Business Council of Canada (BCC) and the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria. It marked an important milestone in furthering economic, business and cultural ties between the two countries.
The visiting delegation consisted of eight delegates which in addition to Mr. Dodig, included Peter Gilgan, Chairman and CEO of Mattamy Asset Management Inc; Blake Hutcheson, President and CEO of OMERS; Tim Gitzel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cameco; Stephen Crétier, Founder, Chairman, President, and CEO of GardaWorld Security; Oliver Westmacott, President and Chief Operating Officer of GardaWorld International; Goldy Hyder, President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada (BCC) and Isaac Olowolafe Jr, Co-Founder and General Partner of BKR Capital.
The purpose of the delegation’s visit was to gain insights into growth sectors in Nigeria that could present relevant investment opportunities to Canadian businesses and investors, both now and in the future. Engagements also covered opportunities to amplify societal impact across themes such as economic mobility (jobs), education and environment & climate change; as well as to deepen Canadian–Nigerian business ties and relationships.
Over the two-day visit, the delegates were introduced to various stakeholders within the private and public sectors which helped to enrich their appreciation of the business environment in Nigeria.Specifically, from the public sector, the delegates met with key government functionaries including the Central Bank Governor, Mr Yemi Cardoso; representatives of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Muhammad Pate; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, and the Minister for Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.
The visit was judged to be a success, and a significant step in laying the foundation for further interactions as both countries deepen and strengthen economic, business and cultural ties.