President Bola Ahmed Tinubu this Monday emphasised the need for collective action and regional cooperation among African countries to achieve transformative development.
He made the statement while declaring open the fourth annual meeting of the Africa Sovereign Investors Forum (ASIF), held in Abuja.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s determination to lead the continent’s economic transformation through targeted reforms and catalytic investment platforms while underscoring the administration’s priority on regional collaboration and innovative capital mobilisation.
Nigeria, through its Ministry of Finance, is hosting the meeting between June 15–17 in Abuja.
Held under the theme, “Leveraging African Sovereign Wealth Funds to Mobilise Global Capital for Transformative Development,” the gathering brings together sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, and policymakers from 17 African nations—supported by strategic partners such as China Investment Corporation and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.
Earlier in his remarks, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, called for a shift from stabilisation to strategic investment, positioning sovereign wealth funds as engines of economic transformation.
“Africa must lead its own industrialization. By mobilising domestic capital and aligning with global partners, we can move from a future defined by potential to one built on performance,” he stated.
The minister highlighted Nigeria’s trailblazing efforts in developing innovative financing models such as the NSIA-backed Infrastructure Debt Fund, the Green Guarantee Company, and a landmark US-dollar domestic bond issuance, as clear signals of Nigeria’s investment readiness.
The Managing Director and CEO of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Malam Aminu Umar-Sadiq, echoed this ambition when he said: “NSIA is honoured to host sovereign wealth funds from across the continent… By uniting our collective resources, African sovereign wealth funds can become a formidable catalyst for transformative growth, economic resilience, and long-term prosperity.”
He highlighted pioneering initiatives like the Infrastructure Debt Fund, the Green Guarantee Company, and the US-dollar domestic bond issuance as clear evidence of Nigeria’s investment leadership.
The summit also marked the launch of the ASIF Investment Platform, a flagship vehicle designed to unlock high-impact, cross-border investments in infrastructure, renewables, manufacturing, and healthcare.
For Nigeria’s private sector, ASIF 2025 signals a new era—de-risking mega-projects, anchoring blended finance, and creating fertile ground for investor-led growth across Africa.
