As preparations intensify for the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES #31), the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has emphasized that Nigeria’s domestic policy choices have far-reaching implications across Africa. In a statement signed by the Acting Head of Strategic Communication & Advocacy, Ayanyinka Ayanlowo, the group noted that with Nigeria being Africa’s most populous country and the fourth-largest economy—valued at ₦372.8 trillion—its reforms significantly influence regional trade, investment, and integration.
Scheduled for October in Abuja, this year’s summit is themed ‘The Reform Imperative: Building a Prosperous and Inclusive Nigeria by 2030’. It aims to explore how Nigeria can lead Africa’s economic transformation through trade, technology, enterprise, and diplomacy. Key focus areas include boosting Nigeria’s position in global and regional value chains, easing business operations, and expanding digital infrastructure and skills to compete in the 21st-century economy.
NES #31 will feature plenary sessions, technical dialogues, and sector-specific engagements designed to drive reform-minded governance and policy continuity. The sub-themes will address industrialisation-led growth, infrastructure for competitiveness, inclusive development for youth and women, institutional accountability, and leveraging the AfCFTA to attract investment and diversify exports. NESG reiterated that real change demands not only bold ideas but also political will, institutional resilience, and active citizen participation.
