The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the Nigerian-German Investment and Cultural Expo (NGICE 2026) says the event will serve as a diaspora mobilisation campaign in support of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
The Chairman of the LOC, Sir Mike Okiro, a retired Inspector-General of Police, disclosed this when he led a delegation of the organising committee on an update visit to Dr Warrens Augusta in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Augusta is the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
Okiro urged relevant government institutions to leverage the large population of Nigerians living in Germany to strengthen diaspora engagement and national development.
He said the NGICE 2026 would provide an avenue for Nigerians in Germany to participate actively in discussions on Nigeria’s political, economic and cultural development.
“NGICE will act as a catalyst for diaspora mobilisation campaign for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid,” Okiro said.
He expressed confidence that the expo would be successfully hosted, noting that the OSGF had played a supportive role toward the preparations for the event scheduled to take place in Berlin, Germany.
Okiro said the organising committee was particularly encouraged by the commitment of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, to lead the Federal Government delegation to the expo.
According to him, the participation of the Federal Government would further enhance the significance of the event and create opportunities for Nigerians and German investors to explore areas of mutual economic interest.
“One major aspect that gives the LOC courage is that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, accepted our request to lead the delegation of the Federal Government to the expo,” he said.
Also speaking, Amb. Chielo Ojirika, Coordinator of NGICE 2026 and Nigerian Cultural Ambassador to Germany, said the visit was intended to brief the Permanent Secretary on preparations and new developments concerning the expo.
Ojirika, who is also the Director-General of Salute Nigeria Initiative, described the engagement as a continuation of earlier consultations between members of the NGICE team and officials of the OSGF.
He said the expo was designed to serve as an international image booster for Nigeria by showcasing the country’s economic opportunities, cultural heritage and entrepreneurial capacity.
Ojirika, popularly known in the entertainment industry as Chiboy D’ Black Courage, said the initiative was also expected to attract more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Nigeria.
He explained that the initiative was designed to support economic diversification in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and create platforms for stronger international partnerships.
According to him, the expo would enable Nigeria to showcase its rich cultural heritage, entrepreneurial capacity and investment opportunities to the international community.
Ojirika said the organisers were conscious of the importance of the Nigeria-Germany relationship and had therefore continued to engage stakeholders in both countries toward achieving a successful event.
“The organising committee, both in Nigeria and Germany, as well as the Nigerian mission in Berlin, has been working tirelessly to ensure the expo’s success,” he said.
He further said the expo could provide a platform for engaging Nigerians living in Germany and strengthening their participation in national development.
Ojirika added that Nigerians in Germany maintained strong links with relatives, friends and associates in Nigeria, making diaspora engagement an important avenue for communicating information and strengthening connections with the country.
He also presented the Sustain Our Unity Project, otherwise known as the SOUP Summit 2026, as part of activities to commemorate Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary and promote national unity, stability and renewal.
Ojirika said the summit, being implemented under the auspices of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Peace, Unity and Development (COCOPUD), led by Salute Nigeria Initiative, was aimed at keeping hope alive and promoting unity among Nigerians.
He said the engagements were essentially focused on unlocking Nigeria’s investment potentials and rich cultural heritage, promoting industrial development and sustaining national unity.
He added that the NGICE team had earlier met with the SGF, Sen. George Akume, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, current Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, German Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Annette Gunter, and other senior officials.(NAN)
