Vice-President Kashim Shettima has declared that Nigeria is on a new path of economic growth, positioning itself as a prime destination for foreign investments, thanks to the policies of President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking at a meeting with ministers and heads of agencies at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday, Shettima praised Tinubu’s leadership, stating that the president has demonstrated “dexterity and the audacity to hope for a better future.”
His remarks come just days after the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported a trade surplus of N3.42 trillion in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024, a development seen as a positive indicator of the country’s economic trajectory.
According to Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, the meeting also discussed the upcoming visit of Brazil’s Vice-President, Geraldo Alckmin, who will lead a high-level delegation to Nigeria.
The visit is part of the second session of the Brazil-Nigeria Mechanism for Strategic Dialogue, resuming after a decade-long hiatus.
Shettima emphasized the importance of Nigeria’s engagement in the dialogue, urging ministers to take ownership of the discussions and ensure productive outcomes.
“I want to urge all ministers involved in this Nigeria-Brazil strategic dialogue to take charge of the initiative of the discussions so that we can take it to the next level, let’s walk the talk,” Shettima said.
“Please, drive the process, engage with the different strategic focus groups to give you weekly updates to prepare us for the visit of the Brazilian vice-president and his delegation.
“The most important thing at this moment is for us to actualise the dreams of our nation’s development.
“We have the resources and institutional knowledge to make this work for our country.”
The vice-president stressed that Nigeria should leverage its partnership with Brazil to advance key sectors such as agriculture, culture and tourism, livestock production, and military technology.
Also speaking at the meeting, Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, described the upcoming dialogue as an opportunity to revamp Nigeria’s agricultural sector and reinforce the government’s food security agenda.
“On behalf of the agriculture sector, it is time for us to walk the talk,” Kyari said.
“It is a good day for Nigeria because agriculture will play a major role in the partnership.
“We have an opportunity to catch up with the rest of the world and be on our way to food sovereignty.”
