The Federal Government is preparing to give Nigerian entrepreneurs, innovators, creative professionals and emerging businesses access to international investors, buyers and commercial opportunities during the 2026 Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) Weekend in Lagos.
The programme will be facilitated through the Presidential Suite, a dedicated exhibition pavilion being introduced by the Office of the President to showcase selected Nigerian enterprises and connect them with opportunities beyond the country.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Entrepreneurship Development, Chalya Shagaya, announced the initiative in a statement on Tuesday, explaining that it supports 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 programme, known as the Renewed Hope Enterprise Bridge Initiative (RHEBi), would utilise the Presidential Suite to introduce promising Nigerian businesses to international audiences, prospective investors, distributors, buyers and strategic business partners.
She explained that the initiative represents an intentional effort by the Presidency to use its institutional influence to help local enterprises overcome barriers to international recognition and commercial expansion.
According to the statement, the participating businesses were selected based on their innovative ideas, creative achievements, growth prospects and ability to promote Nigeria’s image internationally through their products, services and entrepreneurial activities.
The exhibition will showcase Nigerian-made products and innovations across various industries, including visual arts, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, crafts, sports, animation, agriculture and other areas of innovation.
Some of the items to be displayed include coffee cultivated in Nigeria, locally produced chocolate, contemporary clothing, traditional pottery, leather products, beauty and lifestyle merchandise, animation projects, sporting innovations and botanical designs.
The government said the exhibition would encourage greater use of locally available resources, protect indigenous production skills and improve the commercial value and international competitiveness of Nigerian products.
It noted that although many Nigerian businesses have the capacity to compete in foreign markets, their expansion is often restricted by inadequate visibility, limited business networks, difficulties accessing international customers and a shortage of strategic commercial relationships.
The statement described the Presidential Suite as an avenue for bringing government representatives, private-sector stakeholders and local businesses together to create opportunities for Nigerian enterprises to expand beyond their existing markets.
It added that the pavilion would serve purposes beyond product exhibitions by providing a platform for business development, international recognition, market access and the promotion of locally developed products and innovations.
The Presidency further explained that the programme would reinforce the importance of encouraging entrepreneurship across different industries while supporting domestic production, employment generation, increased local value addition and export growth.
It further stated, “Through RHEBi, the Presidency is helping to build the bridge that connects that potential to opportunity.”
The 2026 Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) Weekend is scheduled to hold from November 5 to 8 at the Wole Soyinka National Theatre in Lagos.
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