At the recent World Economic Forum, the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney gave a historic speech that pulled the mask off a failed rule-based international system where super powers bully and control lesser powers and informed on the urgency for a better, just and equitable system.

Carney rallied for middle powers to unite together, cooperate in the areas of interests, and anchored on mutual respect and benefits. He expressed Canada’s preparedness to conduct trade with willing countries (China inclusive) premised on values, interests and courtesy.

The French Prime Minister, Emmanuel Macron in a separate speech at Davos tagged this line calling for renewed multilateralism and even called upon China to deepen its investment in France -establishing physical presence beyond just exports.

The EU adjusting to a new security architecture and seeking to uphold sovereignty in the face of a US changing trade polices is entering with India a momentous trade deal. Denmark and Sweden companies are selling their US shares. Keir Starmer, UK Prime Minister, was in China last week to establish a long-term and stable strategic partnership.

Also, developing regions and countries have long time awoken to a shifting geopolitical landscape and have thought about how to adapt and survive this volatile state of the world.

The Africa talk session of WEF 2026 revolved around the omission of the developing world in the ongoing geopolitical contests and how Africa can assert itself, adapt and position for growth in a changing political economy and rapidly advancing artificial intelligence field where unemployment and urbanization pose challenge and with youth population, education, agriculture and mineral resources leverages.

Africa has been building important infrastructure that enable sovereignty and domestic resilience, leveraging private capital.

Through Dangote Group, a huge refinery was built in Lagos, Nigeria, remarked as “the world’s largest single-train refinery”. Also, recently, different deals on infrastructure were reached with the Group, separately, with Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.

Nigeria has been restructuring its operating environment and financial system, with reforms, to enable ease of doing business, trust and transparency, and attraction of foreign capital. As such exited two high financial risk lists -in 2025 the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey List and in 2026 the high-risk third country list.

Last year, the Nigerian stock exchange market capitalization grew over 51% year-on-year to a landmark peak crossing ₦100 trillion. This January her external reserve hit a $46 billion historic high, the highest in 8 years. The IMF projected Nigeria’s economy will grow by 4.4% in 2026 from 3.9% in 2025.

Nigerian delegates of recent paid a strategic state visit to Türkiye aimed at cementing ties between both countries, on investment, defense and security, and in key sectors. Another meeting took place with UAE, which sought to deepen bilateral trade, technology transfer and sectoral collaborations.

At this year’s Davos Nigeria had a sovereign pavilion for the first time. Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Federal Minister for Industry, Trade, and Investment the brain behind the Nigeria Davos House informed that the initiative was fully funded by private sector. The Vice President of Nigeria, His Excellency Senator Kashim Shettima launched the pavillion, reiterating its foundation on a “renewed resolve to actively participate in global economic conversations…moving to performance”.

As Nigeria seeks new investments ties that are beneficial to both partnering parties, Canada has become a country to look towards with the ethos of pragmatic understanding of the world and fair dealings.

The good thing is that both countries already conduct bilateral trade valued at $3.5 billion, which is net positive for Nigeria.

Both countries have a lot in common, endowed with great resources -young, diverse, literate and tech savvy workforce, rich marine, significant oil and agricultural productions and exports powering global economy; beautiful, multicultural and strategically positioned attracting visits and investments.

These features also make them ground of geopolitical tussles and susceptible to global economic disruptions.

The similarities of endowments and shared realities could promote deeper ties by mutual understanding and common strengths between both countries.

Trades between both countries entail petroleum products, agricultural commodities, farm inputs, raw materials, machinery and equipment.

These products although essential are however basic and would need to be included with high value-added products and services to realize the best of potentials of both countries.

Mark Carney in his WEF’s speech mentioned that Canada is “fast-tracking a trillion dollars of investment in energy, AI, critical minerals, new trade corridors and beyond…and doubling defense spending to build domestic industries.”

Nigeria has ambition of a trillion dollars economy by 2030. It is seeking to increase mineral resources exploration to create capital, products and leverage to boost manufacturing, exports, and also hardware and software production to partake in the global AI economy but also to combat insecurities to enable food production and economic activities.

The Nigeran Davos house investment interests for partnership focused on solid minerals, climate-sustainable agriculture, creative industries, and digital sectors.

The collaborations, cooperation and partnerships between Nigeria and Canada can encompass all these.

This forms the basis for the discussion between Toheeb Azeez (The Lasgidi Farmer and The Host of The Lasgidi Farmer Podcast) and Adekanmi Samuel (A trained and professional banker with experience in both Nigeria and Canada banking sectors and financial systems, and with special focus on agribusiness) about the Canadian & Nigerian Agrifood Markets.

Although the conversations will touch on many and other issues, our focus will be primarily on the Agrifood markets which the interest of the Podcast and also our interests are on but would others with the understanding of how agriculture is not isolated and events in other sectors and areas can impact it.

We want to look at the issues faced by both countries -how geopolitical conflicts, trade war, energy insecurity, and domestic issues (political instability and rising nationalism, inflation, interest rates and infrastructure gap) are impacting production landscape and affecting food systems, output and demand -contrast them and draw out applicable lessons.

In addition to these challenges, we want to look at the opportunities, and especially for agritech, and also inform on areas and ways to deepen ties. We want to also assess the role and importance of private sector and public-private partnerships in exploiting these opportunities.

We hope you are inspired by this write up and would join us this coming Saturday Feb 7, 2026 by 6pm West African Time to chart the future of both countries to sovereignty and self-reliance. See you there!