Vice President Kashim Shettima has asserted that Nigeria will lead Africa’s economic transformation through strategic investments in education, youth empowerment, and innovative agricultural approaches.
Speaking at the Financial Times Global Risk Roundtable during the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Shettima advertised the continent’s potential to turn global challenges into opportunities
Quoting him, “The word for crisis in Chinese is ‘Wei Ji’. Wei stands for danger, while Ji stands for opportunity. Yes, we have challenges, but those challenges are pregnant with opportunities to re-engineer our society and build back better.
“The crisis has given us a unique opportunity to invest in people, especially in areas that will enable us to leapfrog our economies into global competitiveness.”
The VP said Nigeria’s vision is not rooted in dependency or handbut in fostering equal partnerships.
“I don’t believe in aid; I believe in partnership. I’d rather carry my poverty with dignity and deal with people, nations, and companies on a pedestal of equality, not in a master-servant relationship. I didn’t come with a begging bowl.
“My continent is the richest in the world, and the trajectory of global growth is facing Africa. Nigeria will make or mar that transition. The youths of Africa are the drivers of change,” he said.
Acknowledging global crises, including conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Sudan, the Vice President noted their impact on supply chains, humanitarian challenges, and peace.
He called for multilateral collaboration, stressing that the interconnected nature of global challenges requires collective solutions.
“There is an incestuous relationship between economy and ecology in the African continent. But hope springs eternal in the hearts of men. As members of the same human family, we can find solutions to our challenges. We must look inward to solve our problems, but multilateralism is key. These challenges are global, and we must fuse into one human family to overcome them,” the Vice President added.
Vice President Kashim Shettima (middle) with Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (2nd from right); Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole (far right) and Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr Wale Edun (far left), during the Financial Times Global Risk Roundtable at the ongoing 2025 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, 23/01/2025.
