Vice-President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria is now best-positioned to lead the intra-African trade and investment revolution.
By Kayode Adebiyi
Vice-President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria is now best-positioned to lead the intra-African trade and investment revolution.
He said this was because the Federal Government was removing investment bottlenecks and boosting ease of doing business.
The Vice President stated this at the opening of the Pre-Investor Forum of the Intra-African Trade and Investment Conference in Abuja on Friday.
Shettima also emphasised the role of subnational governments in the Nigerian-led continental trade and investment revolution.
“Nigeria, with its unparalleled market size, a strong GDP, and a demography that thrives in innovation, is in a key position to anchor the African commercial revolution.
“However, the revolution cannot be led by Abuja alone. It will be driven by a subnational structure, with the governors in charge.”
He said the government recognises that, to attract sustainable investment, it must continue to build an environment based on predictable policies, institutional transparency, and public accountability.
“Besides improving the ease of doing business, we are heavily investing in the fundamentals—security, infrastructure, and macroeconomic stability—because we understand that the foundation of any competitive economy is trust.
“Investors need to trust that their capital is safe, that the rules are stable, and that opportunities are genuine,” he said.
The forum, organised by Woodhall Capital in partnership with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), highlighted how Nigeria’s subnational governments can serve as anchors for regional economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Office of the Vice President, Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, Shettima decried the trade deficit among African countries.
“For too long, the narrative of African trade has been tainted by what we extract and export to the global north. We need to channel our energy into intra-African trade.
“Consider this fact: trade within the European Union is over 75 per cent of its total; for Asia, it is over 60 per cent.
“However, for Africa, it is sadly reported to be below 17 per cent.
“This conference must therefore achieve one critical outcome: it must transform potential into reality.”
He reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu to creating an enabling environment for businesses and investments to thrive.
“If we work together with purpose, discipline and conviction, Nigeria will lead the emergence of a prosperous Africa directly tied to its fortunes,” he said.
The forum had as its theme: “Facilitating Intra-African Trade: Unlocking the Potential of African Direct Investments (ADI) and Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) to Drive Trade and Sustainable Growth.”