Abuja: The Nigeria Governors Forum‘s (NGF) newly inaugurated digital platform, Investopedia, is set to address the nation’s persistent infrastructure financing gap of $100 billion annually.
The platform, unveiled on Tuesday in Abuja, serves as a one-stop shop for investors seeking credible and transparent investment opportunities across Nigeria’s 36 states, aiming to attract them into the country, recognizing the pressing need for infrastructure development.
The NGF Chairman, Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, said that the initiative was a strategic move to unlock prosperity, where Nigeria must mobilise both global and African capital to finance projects that create jobs, modernise infrastructure and drive inclusive growth.
“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,” he said.
He highlighted that key partners of the platform will include Afreximbank, UNDP and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI).
Abdulrazaq also announced the establishment of the NGF Fund, a pooled investment vehicle developed in partnership with Cavista Holdings.
He reassured that the fund would ensure that opportunities translated into real investments on the ground, providing a sense of security and confidence to potential investors.
According to him, the fund will be anchored on the NGF’s governance and judiciary credibility, serving as a financing arm to channel catalytic capital into vetted sub-national projects highlighted in the Investopedia.
This emphasis on credibility aims to instill trust in the initiative among potential investors.
He urged both domestic and international investors to partner with Nigeria’s states, saying, “The opportunities are vast; commitment is firm and the time is now.”
In his remarks, the NGF Director-General, Abdulateef Shittu, described the Investopedia as a “new dawn in Nigeria’s investment readiness at the sub-national level.”
Shittu reiterated that Nigeria’s FDI inflows were far below the African average. “In 2023, Nigeria attracted 1.87 billion dollars in FDI, with investments concentrated in oil and gas, telecommunications, real estate and agriculture,” he said.
Shittu said that, by curating bankable pipelines of projects across all 36 states, the platform provides investors a one-stop shop to engage with credible opportunities.
According to him, such opportunities are backed by a transparent process, strong institutional oversight and global visibility.
Describing the initiative as a collective achievement, Shittu said that Investopedia would simplify investor access by consolidating credible projects into one gateway.
“The initiative will also provide confidence through due diligence and transparent presentation of opportunities.
“Also, it will mobilise partnerships that go beyond financing to include technical support, capacity-building, and risk mitigation.
“This is why today matters: we are no longer just discussing potential, but presenting bankable pathways for global, African and domestic capital to flow into our states.
“The prosperity that will follow in jobs, infrastructure and inclusive growth will stand as a legacy for this generation of governors and leaders,” he said.