The Federal Government has announced plans to establish a Nigeria Deal Room, a new platform designed to bridge the gap between investment discussions and the execution of real investment transactions.
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The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, disclosed the initiative on Monday while speaking at the opening of the Invest Lagos 3.0 Summit.
According to the minister, the platform will help identify strategic projects, remove regulatory bottlenecks, and connect investors directly with investment-ready opportunities across the country.
What they are saying
Oyedele said the initiative was conceived to address persistent challenges that often prevent promising investment opportunities from translating into actual deals.
- “Too often, brilliant opportunities are known but insufficiently prepared. Investors are highly interested but cannot navigate the entry points. Projects exist, but they are not bankable or investment-ready,” he said.
- “To bridge this gap, the Federal Ministry of Finance is establishing a Nigeria Deal Room to transition from conversation to actual transaction.”
He explained that the platform would serve as a bridge between project sponsors and investors by improving project preparation, facilitating regulatory approvals, and enhancing investment coordination.
The minister noted that global investors increasingly seek predictable, competitive, and profitable markets, adding that the Federal Government has implemented a series of reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s investment climate.
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He highlighted key reforms undertaken under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, including the unification of exchange rates, the transition to a market-determined foreign exchange system, and efforts to strengthen the country’s external reserves.
According to Oyedele, Nigeria’s net external reserves have risen from less than $4 billion in 2023 to over $30 billion, while gross reserves have approached $50 billion.
He added that despite challenging global economic conditions, Nigeria recorded real GDP growth of 3.89% in the first quarter of 2026 and achieved 11.2% growth in U.S. dollar terms in 2025.
The minister said the country remains on track to deliver another year of double-digit GDP growth in dollar terms, positioning Nigeria among the top contributors to global economic growth in 2026.
Oyedele stressed that Nigeria’s economic growth story is increasingly being driven by state governments rather than the federal government alone.
- “The future of Nigeria’s growth story is being written in Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Uyo, Abeokuta, Ilorin, Kaduna, Lafia, Owerri and Umuahia,” he said.
- “While national reforms create the enabling environment, it is our subnational governments that convert potential into projects, investments, jobs and tangible economic outcomes.”
He cited Lagos as a leading example, referencing the recent commissioning of the Kasi Hyperscale Data Centre, an investment supported by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority.
Home to tech unicorn
The minister also pointed to Lagos’ dominance in Africa’s technology ecosystem, noting that five of Nigeria’s tech unicorns are headquartered in the state.
- “Africa is home to nine tech unicorns, and five of them are from Nigeria, all headquartered in Lagos,” he said.
Oyedele said fiscal reform remains a central pillar of the government’s economic agenda.
According to him, the administration has streamlined multiple overlapping taxes, improved value-added tax administration to allow full input credits on investments, introduced targeted sector incentives, and established an Office of the Tax Ombud to address taxpayer concerns.
- “Our goal is not to tax more. It is to tax smarter,” he said.
He explained that the government aims to increase Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio from around 10% to at least 18% over the next three years by expanding economic activity and encouraging the formalisation of businesses rather than imposing excessive tax burdens.
Addressing investors, including sovereign wealth funds, development finance institutions, pension funds, private equity firms and multinational corporations, Oyedele described Nigeria as one of the world’s most compelling long-term investment destinations.
He cited the country’s large youthful population, growing digital economy, and strategic position within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as key advantages.
- “We possess a young, hyper-digital, and deeply enterprising population. We represent a dominant and core market for a continent integrating under the African Continental Free Trade Area,” he said.
The minister reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting private sector-led growth.
“The Federal Government is fundamentally committed to crowding in private capital, not crowding it out. We are here to ensure that your long-term capital is protected, your enterprise is rewarded, and your growth is sustainable,” he added.
What you should know
The announcement comes as Lagos State intensifies efforts to position itself as Africa’s leading investment destination through the Invest Lagos 3.0 Summit.
The summit, held on June 8 and 9, aims to showcase Lagos as a gateway to business opportunities across the continent, with a particular focus on fintech, technology, infrastructure, and innovation-driven sectors.
Lagos remains Nigeria’s leading technology hub and hosts several of the country’s largest startups and unicorn companies, reinforcing its status as one of Africa’s most significant innovation ecosystems.
