The USAFRICA Business Week 2026 event, held during the United Nations General Assembly high-level week, brought together international investors, developers, and business leaders to discuss Abuja's investment prospects. The event, titled "Investing in Abuja: Building Africa's Next-Generation Capital City," featured Nigeria's Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure. She presented Abuja as a growing metropolitan market that requires private capital, technical expertise, and credible partners to drive its development.
The discussion identified key areas for investment, including infrastructure, housing, transportation, utilities, commercial development, and urban services. The conversation aimed to connect the FCT's development priorities with potential partners who can structure, finance, and deliver projects. Dr. Mahmoud engaged with prospective investors and strategic partners, exploring areas of mutual interest and potential follow-up with the relevant FCT authorities. The goal is to turn these initial discussions into specific project proposals that can be properly assessed.
The FCT administration is currently undertaking an infrastructure programme spanning the capital and its satellite communities. Earlier this year, the Federal Government highlighted newly commissioned roads and bridges in Abuja as part of a wider effort to improve access and support economic activity. The Abuja Investment Company Limited has also promoted public-private partnerships and investment opportunities in the territory through its business and investment summit.
The Abuja conversation was part of a wider USAFRICA Business Week programme that examined how coordination across Nigeria's regions could make infrastructure and investment opportunities easier to develop. The event was convened by Pacetas Agency, a trade and investment advisory firm, and serves as a gateway to regional trade, helping participants identify the right African markets through market insights and strategic dialogue.
Dr. Mahmoud's New York programme also included a separate UNGA-week address on governance and human security, where she linked public leadership to citizens' access to safety, services, and opportunity, including meaningful participation by women and young people. Her advocacy for girls' education and empowerment was also recognised by USAFRICA Business Week, which presented her with a leadership recognition.
The organisation's New York platform aimed to help public leaders and potential partners move from broad interest to informed conversations about investable opportunities. For Abuja, the value of the engagement will be measured in the follow-up: identifying suitable projects, clarifying how investors can participate, and taking credible proposals through the FCT's formal processes.
Executive Director of USAFRICA Business Week, Gbenga Omotayo, noted that the platform serves as a gateway to regional trade, helping participants identify the right African markets through market insights and strategic dialogue. The next step for Abuja is to turn the initial discussions into specific project proposals that can be properly assessed, with the goal of driving the city's growth and development.
Key points
- Dr. Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure presented Abuja as a growing metropolitan market that requires private capital, technical expertise, and credible partners to drive its development.
- The FCT administration is currently undertaking an infrastructure programme spanning the capital and its satellite communities.
- USAFRICA Business Week serves as a gateway to regional trade, helping participants identify the right African markets through market insights and strategic dialogue.
