Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, has unveiled the 2026 Nasarawa Investment Summit, marking the formal commencement of activities ahead of the third edition of the biennial event scheduled to hold from April 26 to May 7, 2026.
The governor made the declaration on Thursday at the Nasarawa Investment House in Lafia.
Speaking at the event, Sule said the summit, themed “Bold Transitions: Building a Legacy for Sustainable Futures,” reflects seven years of deliberate reforms aimed at attracting investment to the state and strengthening institutions that support economic growth.
He noted that his administration had prioritised improving the ease of doing business, reforming land administration, and implementing policies to encourage private sector participation in key sectors, including agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and infrastructure.
READ ALSO: Kogi Records Major Drop In Malaria Prevalence — Commissioner
According to him, these efforts have positioned Nasarawa among the top ten most competitive states in Nigeria, based on the World Bank’s ease of doing business ranking.
Sule described the 2026 edition as the last to be held under his administration, adding that it is designed not only to promote investment but also to demonstrate that the progress achieved over the years is anchored on strong institutions and policies rather than individuals.
He said the summit would reassure investors that the anticipated political transition in 2027 would not disrupt ongoing projects or the business environment in the state.
“We want investors to know that what we have built is not going to disappear after we leave. The institutions will remain. The policies will remain. That is the message of this summit,” the governor said.
He disclosed that the President of Ghana, John Mahama, has been invited to deliver the keynote address, while Nigeria’s Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, is expected to attend as Special Guest of Honour.
Sule also announced that a major highlight of the summit would be the launch of the Lafia Declaration, a voluntary commitment to be signed by gubernatorial aspirants, legislators, members of the judiciary, development partners, and investors, pledging to sustain the state’s economic direction beyond the current political cycle.
The summit, he added, will feature a structured deal room for investors, a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) competition and enterprise support showcase, as well as a policy dialogue on the Nasarawa Gas Master Plan, which he described as critical to the state’s long-term industrial transformation.
The governor further disclosed that the summit had already begun attracting financial support from existing investors even before its formal launch.
He expressed confidence that private sector contributions would exceed government spending, in line with the trend recorded in previous editions.
He called on stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political parties, aspirants, development partners, and citizens, to support the vision of continuity and align with a shared agenda for a prosperous Nasarawa State.
In a welcome address, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nasarawa State Investment Development Agency (NASIDA), Ibrahim Abdullahi, revealed that the state has attracted a cumulative 2.3 billion dollars in foreign and domestic investments since the inception of the summit in 2022.
He said that between 2022 and 2024, the state recorded 1.8 billion dollars in investments, alongside 1.3 million dollars in technical assistance.
“In 2025 alone, Nasarawa State attracted an additional one billion dollars, of which 505 million dollars have already been actualised, a testament to the credibility and consistency of this administration’s investment promotion drive,” Abdullahi added.
