Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured Nigerians in the diaspora, particularly those in the United States, that Nigeria remains open for business despite what he described as negative reports about the country on social media.
Gatekeepers News reports that Shettima said the Federal Government was implementing reforms aimed at repositioning the economy, attracting investments and creating an environment conducive to sustainable growth.
He urged Nigerians in the diaspora to support President Bola Tinubu’s administration in its efforts to transform the country’s economic fortunes.
“Be rest assured that beyond the negative stories that you hear and see in the social media, Nigeria is open for business. We have crossed the rubicon, and we are on the path of sustained growth,” the Vice President said.
Shettima spoke on Wednesday at the Nigeria House in New York during an interactive session with members of the Nigerian diaspora community in the United States.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice President said the administration was focusing on key sectors including education, healthcare, science and technology, and agriculture.
He also emphasised the importance of Nigerians living abroad in the country’s development, describing their intellect as “the greatest resource of the future”.
“Citizens of our country have the capacity and intellect to harness our nation’s potentials and take it to greater heights,” he added.
Speaking on the administration’s economic reforms, Shettima said President Tinubu had demonstrated courage by taking difficult decisions shortly after assuming office.
“When President Tinubu assumed office, he did not resort to trading blames and accusing his predecessor for the state of affairs of our nation. Rather, he took decisions that only a leader of courage and conviction would take,” he said.
The Vice President said the reforms were already producing tangible results, citing an increase in Nigeria’s foreign reserves from $3.9 billion to more than $55 billion, as well as 4.45 per cent economic growth recorded in the last quarter.
According to him, improvements in the exchange rate and foreign reserves would help protect diaspora remittances, promote exchange-rate stability and safeguard investments by Nigerians living abroad.
“We are working day and night to reposition the Nigerian nation as investment confidence is returning to Nigeria, and the Dangote Refinery success story is a true manifestation in recent times,” Shettima said.
He said the administration was committed to redefining modern governance, adding that Africa was increasingly positioned to benefit from the next phase of global economic growth, with Nigeria expected to play a significant role.
On education, Shettima highlighted the impact of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, saying more than 1.29 million Nigerian students in tertiary institutions had accessed N125 billion since the programme commenced.
Addressing the country’s security challenges, the Vice President said insecurity was not peculiar to Nigeria, adding that the government was deploying all available means to contain emerging threats.
He also called for greater unity among Nigerians, saying, “whatever binds us together supercedes whatever divides us as a people”.
The event was attended by Governors Babagana Zulum of Borno, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara states.
Also present were Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele; spouses of the governors of Kwara, Katsina, Abia and Osun states; and several members of the Federal Executive Council.
Among the ministers in attendance were Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Bernard Doro; Minister of Education Tunji Alausa; Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake; Minister of Women Affairs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning Doris Uzoka-Anite; and Minister of State for the FCT Mariya Bunkure.
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Jimoh Ibrahim; Nigeria’s Ambassador to Washington, Kayode Are; heads of government agencies and senior officials of the Nigerian mission in the United States also attended the session.
