President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to declare open the Niger Delta Economic and Investment Summit 2026 on September 15 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The summit, themed “Driving Investment, Innovation & Industrial Growth in the Niger Delta,” is designed to provide a platform for government, investors and other stakeholders to identify opportunities and develop practical solutions to longstanding challenges in the region.

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Organisers said the event would seek to position the Niger Delta as an emerging multi-sector growth corridor by promoting scalable, bankable and sustainable investment opportunities.

The summit is expected to bring together government leaders, development partners, investors, industry experts, community leaders and young innovators for discussions around energy transition, oil and gas, agriculture, the blue economy, infrastructure, manufacturing, technology, environmental sustainability and human capital development.

The organisers said particular attention would be given to inclusive growth, peacebuilding, climate resilience and economic diversification as part of efforts to strengthen the region’s long-term economic prospects.

The programme will feature keynote addresses, goodwill messages, technical sessions, plenary discussions, sector-specific investment forums, policy roundtables and deal-making platforms.

The Niger Delta Development Commission is expected to be among the key development partners supporting the summit.

Organisers said the event would align regional development priorities with Nigeria’s broader economic objectives and emerging global investment trends.

The summit’s Steering Committee will provide strategic oversight, stakeholder coordination and operational guidance, with the organisers targeting measurable outcomes including policy commitments, investment agreements and actionable partnerships.

The organisers said the summit would go beyond dialogue by focusing on investment-ready projects, public-private partnership frameworks and business-to-government and business-to-business engagements.

Ahead of the summit, a series of sector-specific roundtable meetings will be held to explore proposed investments and development initiatives across the region.

The discussions will include the proposed establishment of a Niger Delta Regional Development Bank, improved air connectivity across the region and a Niger Delta palm oil refinery.

Other areas include the establishment of an integrated gas utilisation system, development of the region’s blue economy and improving the ease of doing business.

The summit’s thematic sessions will also examine opportunities for unlocking the non-oil economy, strengthening micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and industrial value chains, as well as promoting green growth and sustainable development.

Further discussions will focus on regional trade integration, infrastructure competitiveness, youth innovation, startups, digital transformation, energy and nature.

Organisers said the summit would provide a platform for investors and other stakeholders to structure partnerships that combine commercial returns with long-term regional stability and development impact.