Africa and Caribbean economies are positioning to unlock access to an estimated $40tn combined market as stakeholders prepare for the 2026 Africa Caribbean Investment Summit scheduled to be held in Abuja from March 23 to 28.
The Chief of Staff at Aquarium Consult Limited, Ms Serumun Ubwa, disclosed this on Tuesday at a press briefing in Abuja ahead of the second edition of the Aquarium Consult Africa Caribbean Investment Summit, tagged AACIS 26.
Ubwa said the initiative was created to provide African and Caribbean businesses with a structured platform to build partnerships and drive cross-border investments.
“We’ve been doing this for over 16 years, and in the past 16 years, we’ve grown to understand the authenticity and originality of Nigerian businesses, and it was our desire to give them a platform to enable them to engage in conversations and dialogue that could lead to partnerships and collaborations internationally,” she said.
She explained that the 2026 summit would build on the outcomes of the 2025 inaugural edition, which had St. Kitts and Nevis as the focus country.
“Post-summit, several things have happened. We had the inaugural flight, a historic 120-person flight from Nigeria to St. Kitts and Nevis, and that was the first-ever direct flight from Africa to St. Kitts and Nevis,” she said.
According to her, the previous summit also led to bilateral meetings between ministries and government agencies in both regions, as well as the signing of memoranda of understanding in agriculture and cultural exchange, and “the securing of a $40m deep-water ports deal, amongst other outcomes.”
Ubwa said the 2026 edition had been expanded to include two additional events focused on agriculture and health.
“In 2026, we will expand the scope of the summit to include two additional summits. We are going to have the Aquarium Consult Africa Caribbean Agriculture and Food Security Summit, as well as the Aquarium Consult Africa Caribbean Health Summit,” she said.
She added that the summit would provide “direct market access” and would “unlock a combined $40tn market across Africa, the Caribbean, North, Central, and South America.”
“Nigeria and the Caribbean are both very strategically positioned, and this provides an opportunity for Nigerian and Caribbean businesses to be able to access all these markets,” she added.
Ubwa disclosed that AACIS 26 would feature structured business-to-business and business-to-government matchmaking sessions to fast-track cross-border transactions and joint ventures, covering sectors such as agriculture and food security, healthcare and pharmaceutical innovation, renewable energy, the creative economy, tourism, energy, and digital technology.
She said trade between Africa and the Caribbean currently accounts for less than one per cent of total trade volumes.
Responding to questions on how the summit would benefit Nigerians, including small businesses and young people, Ubwa said the platform would enable businesses of all sizes to connect with investors and policymakers.
“One of the major impacts of the summit is that we’re going to expand the scope for small businesses, small, medium, and large businesses,” she said.
Following the briefing, Aquarium Consult Limited issued a statement announcing AACIS 26 and outlining its objectives and expected impact. In the statement, the firm said the 2026 summit would move beyond diplomatic engagement into what it described as “actionable finance.”
It noted that the 2025 edition recorded the signing of strategic memoranda of understanding in agriculture and cultural exchange, a 120-person business mission to St. Kitts and Nevis, visa waivers for St. Kitts and Nevis passport holders, bilateral engagements between ministries and agencies, and the securing of a $40m deep-water port deal.
The statement added that AACIS 26 would feature structured B2B and B2G matchmaking sessions and provide access to high-impact sectors, including agriculture and food security, healthcare and pharmaceutical innovation, renewable energy, and the creative economy.
It also introduced an aviation corridor designed to reduce transit dependency, enhance cargo movement, and promote tourism and diaspora-driven trade between both regions.
According to the statement, participants would have access to an expanded Investor Deal Room where project developers would present “shovel-ready” infrastructure and technology ventures to private equity and pension fund managers, with post-summit monitoring to track capital commitments and milestones.
The firm further announced the expansion of “The Future of the Transatlantic Bridge,” described as an Afri-Caribbean youth fellowship programme aimed at investing in human capital through mentorship, policy immersion experiences, cross-border placements, and access to investment networks.
The Managing Director of Aquarian Consult, Aisha Maina, was quoted as saying, “Africa and the Caribbean need assets, not just aspirations. AACIS’26 is the collaborative engine where visionaries and capital converge to co-create a resilient, prosperous, and united future. We are no longer waiting for the world; we are building our own alliances.”
The statement said the summit is expected to attract over 2,000 participants, including former heads of government, regional investment promotion agencies, multilateral institutions, sovereign wealth funds, and leading private sector actors.
Aquarian Consult expressed appreciation to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, as well as partners including the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, Afreximbank, and PwC, for their support of the initiative.
