The Cross River State Government has successfully concluded a three-day Diaspora Investment Summit in London, United Kingdom, positioning the state as a prime investment destination in West Africa. The summit, which ran from November 17 to 19, 2025, drew global attention to the state’s economic potential and sought to actively showcase Cross River to the diaspora community.
The summit, themed “Unlocking Opportunities and Driving Sustainable Growth with the People’s First Agenda of Senator Bassey Otu,” brought together high-profile delegates, government officials, investors and development partners, was organized by the Cross River State Diaspora Commission and its partners.
A central focus of the gathering was a high-level diaspora engagement, with targeted sessions connecting Cross River professionals and entrepreneurs in the UK and Europe directly with government representatives.
Speaking on behalf of the Cross River State Government, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Gender Mainstreaming, Dr. Inyang Asibong, described the delegation’s visit as a “futuristic landmark event.” Its purpose, according to Asibong, was to attract international investment and leverage the Nigerian diaspora community to showcase the state’s strategic sectors and investment-ready projects.
Dr. Asibong emphasized that Governor Bassey Edet Otu’s “People’s First administration” is dedicated to driving investment across various economic sectors: “The Otu administration has laid workable infrastructure to encourage growth and development,” Dr. Inyang Asibong stated, adding that Cross River’s “habitable ecosystem is crucial” for sustained economic activity.
The convention also included a dinner with the Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK and the Minister of Trade and Investment in the Nigerian High Commission UK, alongside various categories of interested investors.
Some key sectors highlighted for investment include agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, ICT, renewable Energy and the creative economy.
Also present was Hon Ignatius Oli (Chairperson of the Central Planning Committee), and Diaspora Commissioner for Technology Transfer, Innovation and Tourism).
The forum attracted global investors, development partners including the International Organization for Migration ( IOM )and policy leaders, with at least seven partners expressing readiness to invest in areas such as education, youth exchange projects, pharmaceutical activities, digital business processes among others. Follow-up meetings are already planned for 2026 to solidify these commitments and accelerate public-private collaborations.
