Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has renewed his call for Nigeria to shift toward domestic production as a pathway to eradicating poverty, speaking at a high-level roundtable in Berlin, Germany.
The former Governor of Anambra State has been a strong advocate for the local production of goods to provide jobs and expand the economy.
His ‘consumption to production’ theme was the central campaign slogan in the 2023 presidential election, arguing that with abundant human resources and a growing youth population facing joblessness, local production could expand the economic base and position Nigeria as one of the top 20 biggest economies.
The NDC presidential candidate in the 2027 elections restated this theme at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) roundtable held at the ECFR office in Berlin, where he presented a paper titled ‘Nigeria in 2027 and Beyond’.
In a statement shared across his social media accounts on Wednesday, he said the dialogue brought together policymakers, diplomats, development experts, business leaders, representatives of international organisations, and members of the international media to discuss Nigeria’s future and its role in a connected global landscape.
According to Obi, discussions at the roundtable centred on Nigeria’s democratic journey beyond 2027, international affairs, development cooperation, and the need to strengthen bilateral partnerships to accelerate economic growth.
He said a key focus was how Nigeria could deepen collaboration with international partners to support Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), which he described as “the backbone of every productive economy” and indispensable to job creation, innovation, wealth creation and sustainable national development.
He said participants also exchanged views on strengthening democratic institutions, expanding trade and investment opportunities, promoting regional stability, improving governance, and creating an environment that inspires confidence among citizens, investors and Nigeria’s international partners.
Obi said he was encouraged by the depth of engagement shown by participants, noting that the presence of senior representatives from the German Federal Government, development agencies, business associations, policy institutes, foundations, international organisations and global media reflected the strategic importance placed on Nigeria’s future.
“The presence of senior representatives from the German Federal Government, development agencies, business associations, policy institutes, foundations, international organisations, and respected global media organisations underscores the strategic importance of Nigeria and the shared desire to see our nation realise its enormous potential,” he said.
He restated his belief that Nigeria has the human and natural resources needed to become a prosperous, secure and globally competitive nation, provided the right leadership is in place.
“What is required is competent, accountable, and compassionate leadership that prioritises investment in people, education, healthcare, productive enterprise, the rule of law, and strong institutions over politics of consumption,” he said.
Obi added that Nigeria’s prospects depend on deliberate national choices. “Nigeria’s future is bright, but only if we make the deliberate choices that will move our country from consumption to production, from poverty to prosperity, and from division to unity,” he said, adding that good governance, fiscal responsibility and productive international partnerships could help build “an economy that works for all Nigerians.”
He thanked the European Council on Foreign Relations for the invitation. He commended participants for what he called a frank and constructive exchange of ideas, saying such conversations remain vital to strengthening international cooperation and building lasting partnerships for Nigeria, Africa and the global community.
