Zenith Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing trade, investment, and economic cooperation between Canada and Africa as the Headline Conference Sponsor of the 6th Canada-Africa Business Conference, held on Wednesday, 24 June 2026, at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Organised by the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, the conference brought together a high-level Canadian business delegation representing 31 companies, alongside senior government officials, business leaders, investors, policymakers, diplomats, and development partners.
The gathering set out to strengthen commercial relations between Canada and Africa and to position Nigeria as a strategic gateway for Canadian businesses seeking opportunities across the continent.
The Canadian delegation comprised companies and institutions operating across financial services, security, mining and critical minerals, legal and professional services, infrastructure, technology, healthcare, education, and clean energy. Among those present were GardaWorld, Dentons, Baywood Group, Element, Trilliant, and other leading Canadian enterprises exploring commercial opportunities and strategic partnerships in Nigeria.
The Executive Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr Akin Ogunranti, who delivered the keynote address on behalf of the Group Managing Director/CEO, Dr Adaora Umeoji, described the conference as a timely platform for deepening commercial partnerships between Canada and Africa amid shifting global economic realities.
The Chair of the Board of the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, Paula Caldwell St-Onge, highlighted Nigeria’s growing economic significance, saying “Nigeria’s growth is not theoretical. It is already being built by Nigerian entrepreneurs, investors, financial institutions, innovators, and companies whose ambition reaches across Africa and around the world.”
She also acknowledged Zenith Bank’s role in advancing the conference’s objectives, stating: “Zenith Bank is not only one of Africa’s leading financial institutions, but it also is the capital behind what you see here today, and it represents the skill, ambition, discipline, innovation, and excellence that this conference seeks to showcase.”
The conference featured high-level panel discussions on Canada-Africa commercial relations, investment opportunities across priority sectors, and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The sessions brought together policymakers, business executives, and industry experts to identify practical pathways to strengthen commercial partnerships and accelerate sustainable economic development.
