The United Nations has invited the ECN Foundation to participate in the 9th World Investment Forum (WIF) 2026, scheduled to take place from October 25 to 27, 2026, in Doha, Qatar.
The ECN Foundation will be represented at the global investment gathering by its Founder and Chairman, Emmanuel Chinenyeaka Ngwaogu.
The three-day forum, organised by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in partnership with the State of Qatar, is the United Nations’ flagship event for the global investment community. The 9th edition will be held under the theme, “Investing in the Future.”
According to UNCTAD, the World Investment Forum brings together governments, investors, business leaders, financial institutions and international organisations to examine how investment can support sustainable development, resilience and inclusive economic growth.
The 2026 edition is expected to attract representatives from more than 160 countries, including heads of government, ministers, chief executives, sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, development finance institutions and other international organisations.
The Doha forum comes at a time of significant changes in the international investment landscape, with geopolitical tensions, economic fragmentation, climate pressures and rapid technological development influencing global investment flows.
UNCTAD said the forum will therefore look beyond short-term capital movements, with emphasis on long-term value creation, productive capacity and economic resilience.
A major focus of the meeting will be how investment and finance can be directed towards development priorities, particularly in emerging and developing economies.
The programme will cover a wide range of areas, including artificial intelligence, critical minerals, energy, infrastructure, sustainable finance, tourism and culture, climate finance and emerging opportunities in the space economy.
The forum's programme also includes Global Leaders Plenaries, ministerial roundtables on investment and entrepreneurship, the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Dialogue, discussions on investment in the Gulf region and a global investment promotion conference showcasing opportunities from different parts of the world.
For the ECN Foundation, the invitation provides an opportunity to engage with policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs and international development stakeholders from different parts of the world.
The participation of Chairman Emmanuel Chinenyeaka Ngwaogu is also expected to provide an avenue for the Foundation to explore partnerships, exchange ideas and engage with global stakeholders on investment, entrepreneurship, development and opportunities capable of supporting communities and emerging economies.
Qatar's hosting of the ninth World Investment Forum places Doha at the centre of international discussions on the future of investment.
The host-country announcement was jointly made by Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs, Ahmad Al-Sayed, and UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan in January 2026.
UNCTAD describes the World Investment Forum as a platform where policy, capital and enterprise come together to shape the next generation of sustainable, resilient and inclusive investment.
The forum is also expected to provide developing countries with opportunities to present investment prospects, engage international investors and discuss strategies for strengthening productive capacity, employment, technology transfer and economic diversification.
For African countries, the gathering could provide a platform to highlight opportunities across infrastructure, energy, agriculture, manufacturing, technology, financial services, tourism and other sectors.
Nigeria, in particular, can use such global investment platforms to showcase bankable projects and engage international partners on policies and initiatives aimed at expanding investment and strengthening economic diversification.
The 9th World Investment Forum is consequently expected to examine the relationship between capital and long-term development as governments and private-sector actors consider how investment can respond to technological transformation, climate challenges and changing global economic pattern.
Among the notable personalities expected to participate are H.E. Abdul Hamid Mohammed M. Al-Dbeibah, Prime Minister of Libya; H.E. Mamitiana Jeannot Ruffin Rajaonarivelo, Prime Minister of Madagascar; H.E. Sun Chanthol, Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia; Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization; and Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Nigeria's Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, among other global leaders.