Zenith Bank backs Canada-Africa conference to boost trade, investment

Zenith Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening trade, investment and economic cooperation between Canada and Africa by serving as the headline sponsor of the 6th Canada-Africa Business Conference held in Lagos.

The conference, organised by the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, took place on June 24 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, bringing together senior government officials, business executives, investors, policymakers, diplomats and development partners from both regions.

A high-level Canadian delegation representing 31 companies participated in the event, with discussions centred on expanding commercial ties and positioning Nigeria as a gateway for Canadian investment into Africa.

The delegation included firms operating in financial services, security, mining, legal and professional services, infrastructure, technology, healthcare, education and clean energy.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Zenith Bank’s Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dame Adaora Umeoji, the bank’s Executive Director, Akin Ogunranti, described the conference as a timely platform for building stronger economic partnerships between Canada and Africa.

He said Africa was well-positioned to drive the next phase of global economic growth, citing improved institutions, policy reforms and strategic partnerships across the continent.

“The question is not whether Africa is rich in potential. It is whether we can turn that potential into prosperity our people can feel. For the first time, the answer is yes, because of the machinery we are now building,” he said.

Representing Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Babatunde Onigbanjo, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for investment.

He said Lagos offers Canadian investors access to a large market, skilled talent and a rapidly expanding business environment, while Canada brings expertise, innovation and capital needed to support sustainable growth.

Also speaking, Canada’s Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Carlos Rojas-Arbulú, said bilateral relations between both countries had entered a new phase focused on practical economic collaboration.

He noted that the longstanding relationship between Canada and Nigeria was built on diplomacy, trade, education, culture and shared democratic values, adding that both countries now have an opportunity to deepen commercial cooperation.

Chair of the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, Paula Caldwell St-Onge, highlighted Nigeria’s growing importance in Africa’s economic landscape and commended Zenith Bank for supporting the conference.

She described the bank as one of Africa’s leading financial institutions and praised its contribution to advancing business partnerships across the continent.

The conference featured panel discussions on Canada-Africa trade relations, investment opportunities across key sectors and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Participants identified technology transfer, private sector collaboration, infrastructure investment and job creation as key areas for future cooperation, with organisers expressing optimism that the conference would strengthen Nigeria’s position as a strategic destination for Canadian investment and a hub for regional trade under the AfCFTA.