Secretary-General advocates increased investments in Commonwealth markets for long-term growth
Orisemeke Benjamin
Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has called for greater investment across Commonwealth countries, highlighting the organisation’s unique advantages as a source of confidence, connectivity and long-term growth in an increasingly uncertain global economy.
Delivering a keynote address at Invest Lagos 3.0, organised in partnership with the Lagos State Government and the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), the Secretary-General said investors today are looking beyond returns to seek trusted and stable investment destinations.
She said: “The global economy is not just experiencing a passing period of turbulence. It is going through a structural shift.
“Trade tensions are rising. Supply chains are being rewired. Capital is more cautious. Debt pressures are heavier. Climate shocks are more frequent. Technology is transforming every sector faster than many institutions can adapt.”
The Secretary-General said the investment landscape is changing fundamentally, requiring countries to demonstrate not only economic potential but also trust, talent and regulatory certainty.
“For investors, the question is no longer where the highest return is, only. It is also: where is the trust? Where is the talent? Where is the market? Where is the regulatory confidence? Where is the long-term growth story?”
Botchwey said the Commonwealth’s shared language, legal systems, institutions and business practices provide a strong foundation for attracting investment and supporting cross-border growth.
“These connections are commercial assets. They reduce friction. They build trust. They lower risk. They make it easier for businesses to trade, invest and grow across borders.”
Home to 2.7 billion people, the majority under the age of 30, the Commonwealth represents one of the world’s most dynamic economic networks. Trade between Commonwealth countries is conducted at an average cost around 21 per cent lower than between comparable non-Commonwealth trading partners.
The Secretary-General stressed that the advantage must be translated into practical outcomes insisting that the “advantage, by itself, is not enough. An unused advantage is only a statistic.
“Our task is to turn that advantage into jobs, investment, supply chains, infrastructure, innovation and growth that people can feel in their daily lives.”
She also highlighted the work of the Commonwealth Secretariat in supporting member countries through investment facilitation, regulatory connectivity, digital trade and access to finance.
“At a time when capital is searching for confidence, we must help create the conditions in which long-term investment can flow.”
Calling for stronger partnerships between governments, investors and businesses, the Secretary-General emphasised that sustainable growth will depend on creating environments that are transparent, predictable and capable of attracting productive investment.
“We need execution. We need scale. We need confidence. We need partnerships that deliver.”
Looking ahead, these themes will be central to the Commonwealth Business Forum 2026, which will be organised by the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and the Commonwealth Secretariat from 2–4 November 2026 alongside the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The Forum will bring together Heads of Government, ministers, investors and business leaders from across the Commonwealth and beyond to explore opportunities for investment, trade and sustainable economic growth.
