State governors on Tuesday launched an investment platform to enable the 36 states to attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs).
At the launch of the Forum’s Investopedia in Abuja, they said “NGF Investopedia” was launched because the $2 billion yearly foreign investment inflow was less than 0.5 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
While speaking, the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Abdulateef Shittu, said the infrastructure financing gap in the country was estimated at $100 billion annually, and nearly $1 trillion over the next decade.
According to him, the Forum’s Investopedia represented a new dawn in Nigeria’s investment readiness at the subnational level.
Shittu explained that, “The infrastructure financing gap in Nigeria is estimated at $100bn annually, nearly $1tn over the next decade. At the same time, states collectively budgeted more than 17.5 trillion for capital projects in 2025, reflecting their commitment to transform infrastructure and social services. Yet, financing constraints and fragmented entry points often prevent investors from engaging at scale.
“It is precisely this challenge that the NGF Investopedia seeks to solve. By curating bankable pipelines of projects across all 36 states, the platform provides investors a one-stop shop to engage with credible opportunities, backed by a transparent process, strong institutional oversight, and global visibility.”
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The NGF Chairman and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, emphasised the need for Nigeria to harness both global and African capital financing opportunities.
“Yet, over the last decade, our FDI inflows have averaged only $2 billion annually, which is less than 0.5 per cent of GDP,” Abdulrazaq stated.
He said, “These investments are mostly concentrated in oil and gas, telecommunications, real estate, and agriculture. While important, they have not reached the depth or breadth required to catalyse true subnational transformation.
“At the same time, African Direct Investment (ADI) into Nigeria has been steadily growing, with regional investors from South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, and Ghana expanding into sectors, such as banking, fintech, agribusiness, and infrastructure.
“This intra-African capital is particularly important under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), as it signals a growing confidence among African partners in Nigeria’s markets and opportunities.”
The NGF chairman stated, “Yet despite these inflows, the annual infrastructure financing gap for Nigeria is estimated at $100 billion — a gap that states bear the heaviest responsibility to bridge. Public budgets alone cannot solve this.
“To unlock prosperity, we must mobilise both global and African capital to finance projects that create jobs, modernise infrastructure, and drive inclusive growth.
“This is the purpose of the NGF Investopedia: to serve as a one-stop shop for investors, providing credible, transparent, and curated pipelines of projects across all 36 states.
“It is not just a catalogue — it is an entry point, showing investors not only where to invest, but also how to invest in Nigeria with confidence.
‘’This vision would not be possible without the partnership of our sponsors and allies.”
The Forum’s Investopedia is a biennial publication highlighting major projects across sectors, offering analyses, incentives, and market insights.
