Zamfara Governor, Mr Dauda Lawal, has called for stronger collaboration among governments, businesses and financial institutions to unlock investment and promote inclusive economic growth.
Lawal made the call on Tuesday at the CEO Forum 2026 in Lagos, sponsored by FirstBank Group.
The forum, organised by the UN Global Compact Network Nigeria, focused on ‘Financing a Dignified Future: Aligning Capital, Policy and Business Action.’
It brought together business leaders, government representatives, development partners and donors to explore evidence-based approaches to improving development outcomes.
Lawal urged investors and financial institutions to partner with governments to transform the Northwest’s economic potential into productive investments.
He identified agriculture, mining, livestock, energy and agro-processing as sectors offering significant investment opportunities across the region.
The governor said government must provide security, infrastructure, clear regulations and a predictable business environment to attract sustainable investments.
He, however, urged investors to conduct due diligence and develop commercially viable projects capable of delivering sustainable economic returns.
“Government must also recognise that it has limits. Businesses cannot wait indefinitely for government to solve every commercial problem,” Lawal said.
He said Zamfara’s 10-year development plan, covering 2025 to 2034, was designed to provide policy direction and predictability for investors.
Lawal cited an ongoing $200 million lithium mining and processing project as evidence of efforts to promote value addition, skills development and local participation.
He said improved geological data on the state’s critical minerals, including lithium and gold, had attracted investors from China and the United Arab Emirates.
The governor also disclosed that Zamfara was engaging investors on large-scale solar projects to improve electricity supply and support agro-processing, manufacturing and irrigation.
He said the state was integrating artisanal miners into formal cooperatives to ensure their participation in the mining value chain.
Lawal urged investors to engage with the state early and collaborate with government in developing Zamfara’s economic opportunities.
Similarly, FirstBank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Olusegun Alebiosu, described financial inclusion as economic infrastructure.
Alebiosu, represented by Deputy Managing Director, Mr Ini Ebong, said access to finance remained critical for traders, artisans, entrepreneurs and small businesses.
He said FirstBank’s FirstMonie Agent Banking network had more than 322,000 agents across 99 per cent of Nigeria’s local government areas.
According to him, the network had provided formal financial services to more than 3.4 million previously unbanked Nigerians.
Alebiosu said the bank surpassed N1 trillion in digital loan disbursements in 2025 through FirstAdvance, FirstCredit and AgentCredit.
He urged government to strengthen digital identity, financial literacy and regulatory frameworks while encouraging businesses to expand financing for underserved groups.
He also highlighted consumer credit as important to economic growth, noting that the bank offered various financing packages for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Meanwhile, the Northwest Governors Forum urged investors to openly identify barriers hindering investment, enabling governments to address them effectively.
Yusra Umar, representing the forum’s Director-General, Maryam Yahaya, urged investors to identify challenges involving security, power supply, regulations and government processes.
She said the seven Northwest states were working toward a coordinated investment environment combining government development priorities with private-sector expertise.
“Capital does not respond to speeches. It responds to confidence. And confidence is built through what governments actually do,” she said.
Ms Naomi Nwokolo, UN Global Compact Network Nigeria’s 2026 CEO Forum Convener, called for stronger alignment of capital, policy and business action.
Nwokolo said such alignment was essential to driving inclusive growth, creating jobs and strengthening economic opportunities across Nigeria.
She urged government to provide policy certainty, financial institutions to deploy patient capital, and businesses to promote innovation and sustainable growth.
Also speaking, Canada’s Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Carlos Rojas-Arbulu, called for stronger business partnerships between both countries.
Rojas-Arbulu said bilateral trade had surpassed $3 billion, with opportunities spanning critical minerals, energy, agriculture, technology and industrial development.
He said investment required confidence built through transparent governance, predictable regulations, reliable data and commercially viable projects.
“Potential has never been the problem. Execution is what matters. Partnership is what matters,” Rojas-Arbulu said.
He said an expanded air transport agreement providing direct passenger and cargo links between Lagos and Toronto would strengthen trade and investment ties.
Rojas-Arbulu urged both countries to sustain the momentum by developing bankable projects, mobilising capital and strengthening investment frameworks. (NAN)
