The announcement was made in Lagos by Canada’s Secretary of State for International Development, Randeep Sarai, during a reception organised in his honour by the Canadian Deputy High Commission.
According to Sarai, the new initiatives are expected to strengthen healthcare systems, improve opportunities for women entrepreneurs and small businesses, support climate resilience efforts, and enhance governance structures across the region.
He explained that the package would also focus on improving digital resilience and expanding access to justice, particularly in communities facing institutional and economic challenges.
“Together they will help to build more inclusive and resilient institutions and economies across the region,” Sarai said.
The Canadian official also revealed plans for stronger commercial engagement between both countries, announcing that the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business would host a Canada-Nigeria Business Conference in Lagos in June.
“We look forward to bringing Canadian companies to the conference to engage with Nigeria’s private and public sectors,” he stated.
Sarai described Canada’s growing relationship with Nigeria as part of a broader strategy to deepen ties with Africa, noting that global economic influence was increasingly shifting toward emerging cities and economies across the continent.
“The next chapter of global growth will be shaped as much in Lagos, Nairobi and Accra as in London, New York and Toronto,” he said.
“The centre of gravity of the global economy is shifting, and Canada is ready to help to shape that future together.”
Visiting Nigeria for the first time, Sarai said he had already been impressed by the country’s energy, hospitality and entrepreneurial spirit.
He stressed that Canada’s priorities in Africa are built around partnership, trade and shared economic growth, adding that Nigeria remains central to that vision.
According to him, bilateral trade between both countries exceeded three billion dollars last year, making Nigeria Canada’s second-largest trading partner in Africa.
“With over three billion dollars in bilateral trade last year and plenty of opportunities for growth, Nigeria stands as Canada’s second largest trading partner in Africa,” he said.
Beyond trade and investment, Sarai highlighted the strong people-to-people relationship between both nations, pointing to the thousands of Nigerians currently studying, working and living in Canada.
“That friendship is really deep, and that makes Nigeria a strategic gateway for Canadian businesses and a natural partner,” he added.
He further noted that Nigeria’s development priorities align with sectors where Canada possesses strong expertise, including infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, clean energy, mining and digital innovation.
Sarai, however, stressed that expertise alone was no longer enough in a rapidly changing global economy.
“Countries are looking for partners they can rely on. Partners that show up and follow through. That kind of partnership is what Canada wants and sees in Nigeria,” he said.
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| From left: Randeep Sarai, Canadian Secretary of State for International Development; Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment; Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; and other dignitaries at a reception in honour of Sarai on Friday night by the Canadian Deputy High Commission in Lagos |
He expressed satisfaction with the impact of Canada’s longstanding partnership with Nigeria, particularly in supporting local governance, improving healthcare systems, empowering small businesses and enhancing skills development initiatives.
“These are the kind of partnerships that Canada is here to help to build,” he said, adding that governments, development institutions and private sector players must work together to address emerging global challenges.
Speaking on technology and innovation, Sarai urged countries to embrace Artificial Intelligence within responsible and ethical frameworks that improve lives rather than replace human potential.
Meanwhile, the Coordinator of the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, Toye Abioye, confirmed that the Canada-Nigeria Business Conference would hold on June 24 in Lagos.
Abioye called for strong participation from both Nigerian and Canadian business communities, saying the conference would provide fresh opportunities for investment partnerships, trade expansion and cross-border collaboration.