The Vice President for Africa at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Ethiopis Tafara, is set to visit Nigeria from January 29 to February 4, 2026, as part of ongoing efforts to deepen private sector development and promote investment-led economic growth in the country.
During the visit, Tafara will hold meetings with senior government officials, private sector leaders, financial institutions, and development partners to discuss strategies for improving Nigeria’s investment climate, mobilising private capital and expanding opportunities for inclusive and resilient economic growth.
He will be accompanied by the IFC Regional Director for Nigeria and Central Africa, Dahlia Khalifa, as well as senior members of the corporation’s regional and country leadership teams. Their participation underscores IFC’s integrated approach to investment and advisory services across sectors including financial institutions, infrastructure, agribusiness, manufacturing and services.
The visit will feature a series of high-level engagements aligned with IFC’s strategic priorities in Nigeria, with a focus on healthcare infrastructure, the creative and cultural economy, and public-private collaboration to strengthen the country’s investment environment. These engagements highlight IFC’s continued commitment to mobilising private capital, supporting enterprise growth and advancing inclusive, investment-driven development across critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.
Nigeria remains a key market for the IFC, ranking as its second-largest exposure in Africa and among its top 10 globally, with an active investment portfolio of $2.1 billion. The corporation’s investments span financial services, agribusiness, manufacturing, infrastructure and energy, with strong emphasis on local currency financing, climate finance and small and medium-sized enterprise development to drive sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
