FG targets global markets for Nigerian businesses at CANEX

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Entrepreneurship Development, Chalya Shagaya

The Federal Government has said it will support Nigerian entrepreneurs, innovators, creatives and businesses with opportunities for international exposure, investment and commercial partnerships at the 2026 Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) Weekend in Lagos.

The initiative will be implemented through the Presidential Suite, a pavilion being presented by the Office of the President as part of efforts to connect homegrown enterprises with global markets.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Entrepreneurship Development, Chalya Shagaya, said the initiative was being undertaken in furtherance of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“In furtherance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will present a select group of Nigerian entrepreneurs, innovators, creatives and pioneering enterprises at the 2026 Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) Weekend in Lagos,” the statement read.

Shagaya said the initiative, known as the Renewed Hope Enterprise Bridge Initiative, would use the Presidential Suite to connect promising Nigerian businesses with international exposure, investors, buyers, distributors and strategic commercial partnerships.

She described it as “a deliberate effort to use the convening power and institutional platform of the Presidency to bridge the gap between Nigerian enterprise and global market opportunities”.

According to the statement, the businesses were identified based on their exceptional promise, innovation, creativity and contributions to Nigeria’s global reputation through their products, services and entrepreneurial achievements.

The pavilion will feature businesses and products across sectors including visual arts, fashion, lifestyle, beauty, crafts, sports, animation, agriculture and innovation.

Among the products and innovations to be showcased are locally grown coffee, Nigerian-made chocolate, contemporary fashion, indigenous pottery, leather goods, beauty and lifestyle products, animation, sporting innovations and botanical designs.

The statement said the initiative was designed to promote local value addition, preserve indigenous craftsmanship and improve the commercial viability and export potential of Nigerian-made products.

It added that many Nigerian businesses had the capacity to compete internationally but faced challenges relating to visibility, networks, market access and commercial partnerships.

“The Presidential Suite at CANEX 2026 represents a practical expression of the Presidency’s commitment to enterprise development. It brings government, private sector partners and Nigerian businesses together around a shared objective: creating opportunities for homegrown enterprises to grow beyond their immediate markets.

“The Presidential Suite is more than an exhibition pavilion. It is a presidential platform for enterprise development, national visibility, market access and the advancement of Nigerian-made products and homegrown innovation,” the statement said

The Presidency said the initiative would also reinforce the importance of supporting entrepreneurship across different sectors, while promoting local production, job creation, value addition and export development.

It further stated, “Through RHEBi, the Presidency is helping to build the bridge that connects that potential to opportunity.”

The 2026 CANEX Weekend will hold from November 5 to 8 at the Wole Soyinka National Theatre in Lagos.