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VP Shettima Returns to Abuja, Says Nigeria Back on Global Economic Frontline

2 weeks ago
Usman Ishaq Shehu
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Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Abuja after a week-long diplomatic and economic mission to Guinea-Conakry and Switzerland, saying Nigeria has reclaimed a frontline position in global and regional policy conversations.

The Vice President arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Saturday after representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the inauguration of Guinea’s President, Mamadi Doumbouya, and leading Nigeria’s delegation to the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos.

According to Shettima, the trip underscored Nigeria’s renewed commitment to regional solidarity in West Africa and its determination to reposition the economy under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.

In Guinea-Conakry, the Vice President attended President Doumbouya’s inauguration, reaffirming Nigeria’s leadership role within ECOWAS while advancing new areas of bilateral cooperation, particularly in agriculture and manufacturing.

From Conakry, Shettima proceeded to Davos, Switzerland, where he led Nigeria’s participation at the WEF 2026. One of the highlights of the engagement was the commissioning of Nigeria House Davos, the country’s first sovereign pavilion on the Davos Promenade, established as a permanent investment hub to showcase opportunities in solid minerals, agriculture, and the digital economy.

Speaking at a high-level WEF session titled “When Food Becomes Security,” the Vice President outlined Nigeria’s national food security framework, describing agriculture as a strategic pillar of national security and macroeconomic stability.

He also joined former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to advance the Accra Reset Initiative, which advocates African industrialisation driven by domestic capital and value chains.

On the economic front, Shettima told investors that Nigeria’s macroeconomic indicators were stabilising, citing a projected 4.4 per cent GDP growth in 2026 and a decline in inflation to 12.94 per cent. He further noted Nigeria’s gradual transition into a net exporter of refined petroleum products, driven by the Dangote Refinery, as well as the country’s growing export of digital talent.