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
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

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.

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

According to a 2026 BCG report, an astonishing 91% of surveyed
Nigerians use AI weekly (compared to a 64% global average). For SMEs
and industries, this means the workforce is already culturally primed
for adoption. So what is next?

How big an opportunity will Nigeria’s use of Green Bonds create for investors and are they doing enough to attract the right investors?

• 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
• How are projects like the NEP and Mission 300 increasing the commercial viability of rural energy provision?

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.

Creating a more attractive and predictable business environment for foreign investors to succeed.

• Understanding foreign-earned dividends, royalties, rent, and tax reforms.
• Understanding the streamlined and consolidated tax framework, including single and predictable development levies, to reduce administrative red tape and compliance friction for foreign businesses.
• Targeted incentives & Enhanced tax recovery

NSIA’s DRE Fund is transforming energy access and the opportunities arising to scale localised manufacturing across Nigeria.