Nigeria NOW! 2026

The world’s most exciting youth programme arrives in Nigeria, but what next?

YES! was created in response to a critical demographic reality: nearly half of Africa’s population still lacks access to electricity. By 2050, the continent is expected to have the world’s largest working-age population, with over 830 million young people aged 15–24. To keep pace with this growth, Africa must create approximately 1.5 million new jobs every month, a demand that will continue to rise (IMF). The mission of YES! is to accelerate electrification while unlocking employment at scale by engaging 10% of the population. Central to this ambition is the development of a 100-million-strong youth network across Africa, built through partnerships with industry leaders, governments, global institutions, and educational organisations.

EnergyNet Welcome Remarks: Simon Gosling, MD, EnergyNet

With roughly 70% of Nigeria’s population aged under 30, youth are the engine of Nigeria’s growth – what is the metric of success?

Keynote Speech: Honourable Dayo Israel, National Youth Leader, All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria

Keynote Address: Omobolade Oghiadomhe, Chief of Staff, Nigeria, Flutterwave

Connecting the Dots: The mobile world and financial innovation have flourished in Nigeria, with companies like Flutterwave sitting at the crossroads of both sectors, whilst delivering a payments platform.

Walk With Me Programme: Why YES!? Hear success stories from YES! Alumni and be blown away!

Nigeria’s young people have an opportunity to contribute to and shape the Nation’s future utilising a booming manufacturing and industrial base, AI and a surging amount of capital. We have invited some of the most active to showcase what they are doing and how they are doing it.

Host Welcome Address: Chief Host of Nigeria NOW!: H.E. Honourable Dr. Oladele Henry Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Nigeria

Presidential Keynote: Articulation of the 2026 “Year of Delivery” doctrine

How Nigeria is delivering on President Tinubu’s “Year of Delivery” doctrine and creating a more attractive and predictable business environment for foreign investors to succeed.

• Deconstructing the 2026 Budget’s N26.08 trillion capital expenditure.
• NSIA’s strategic position to support FDI as a co-investor
• Understanding the streamlined and consolidated tax framework, targeted incentives & enhanced tax recovery
• Understanding foreign-earned dividends, royalties, rent, and tax reforms.
• Modernised frameworks reducing regulatory barriers, reforming digital systems, and integrating government platforms to deliver competitively

2023-2026 Investment Highlights:

• Federal Infrastructure Allocation of ₦4.06 trillion ($2.7 billion) specifically for infrastructure development within the 2025 national budget.
• ₦1 trillion was provided for Solid Minerals Development in the 2025 budget towards diversification of the Nigerian economy.

Understanding the scale and opportunity of Nigeria’s vast mineral wealth and West Africa’s broader role supporting global demand for critical minerals.

• Nigeria’s long-term vision for international partnerships and investment in the solid minerals sector
• Increasing export capacity while promoting domestic processing, value addition and industrialisation
• Understanding the policies and opportunities for foreign investors to participate in Nigeria’s minerals sector
• Positioning Nigeria within African and global critical-mineral supply chains

2023-2026 Investment Highlights:

• Major lithium processing investments, including US$600 million and US$200 million facilities
• US$1 billion integrated iron ore-to-steel processing project
• US$150 million Green Mining Investment Fund targeting gold, lithium and rare earth elements
• US$400 million rare earth and critical-minerals processing project in Nasarawa State, bringing total processing capacity to approximately 18,000 tonnes per annum

While Nigeria is aggressively restructuring its power sector to drive downstream electricity capacity directly into high-growth industrial sectors like mining and refining, flagship initiatives like the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) and Mission 300 are scaling up the financial and commercial viability of rural off-grid markets, and Green Bonds offer new opportunities to international investors.

• Accelerating power generation – Nigeria’s short to medium goals to increase private sector participation
• What has changed under this administration in Nigeria to support IPPs reaching financial close?
• Structuring the $1 billion Domestic Green Bond – offering the opportunity to both domestic and international investors to access Nigeria’s climate projects
• Opportunities in the $2 billion National Climate Fund – using blended finance to accelerate investment in large-scale projects across critical sectors including energy, transport and infrastructure

2023-2026 Investment Highlights:

• Power Sector Reset Programme: ₦4 trillion invested in national generation companies
• Presidential Metering Initiative: ₦1.325 trillion investment to deploy 7 million smart meters
• DARES Renewable Energy Project: $750 million approved with World Bank

Lagos State is setting a national benchmark for energy independence, ambitious power generation and a modern and effective road, rail and port infrastructure.

• Winning back upstream capital through fiscal incentives, regulatory clarity and faster contracting
• Resetting power sector finances through the ₦4 trillion debt settlement bond programme, metering expansion and loss reduction
• Gas as the engine of industrialisation – how gas-to-power, domestic feedstock and export-oriented industrial clusters can link energy reform to jobs, growth and a cleaner energy mix.

Keynote Speech: Olu Verheijen, Special Adviser to the President on Energy (Oil and Gas), Nigeria

The current global geopolitical climate is creating massive opportunities for Nigeria’s import/export sectors.

• An overview of Nigeria’s current large scale infrastructure project pipeline
• Will Nigeria seek a PPP model or alternative financing structures to deliver large scale infrastructure projects?
• Port infrastructure and the global supply chain over the next ten years

2023-2026 Investment Highlights:

• $3 billion Lagos Green Line rail corridor linking critical trade zones to the Lekki FTZ
• Kano-Maradi Rail project backed by a ₦34.24 billion capital vote to create a Sahel logistics hub
• $1.126 billion secured for Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway
• $2.27 billion PPP approved for Bakassi Deep Seaport (Cross River State)
• $1.14 billion PPP approved for Port of Ondo Deep Seaport (Ondo State)
• $950 million modernisation project for Apapa & Tin Can Island (Lagos) through UKEF financing agreement

Keynote Address:  H.E. Honourable Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, Minister of Steel Development, Nigeria