Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Monday declared that Nigeria is ready to take a front-line role in the global economy, citing renewed reforms and growing investor confidence.
Speaking in Davos, Switzerland, during the opening of Nigeria House at the 2026 World Economic Forum, Shettima said the pavilion symbolises Nigeria’s determination to engage the global economy with clarity and purpose.
“For the first time in our nation’s history, Nigeria stands at Davos with a sovereign pavilion of its own,” he said. “Nigeria House reflects our seriousness and resolve to take a front-line seat in the global economic discourse, not as observers, but as purposeful participants.”
The Vice-President said Nigeria’s economic future depends on deliberate and structured global engagement, adding that while government can open doors and reduce risks, private enterprise remains the engine of sustainable growth.
According to him, early gains from President Bola Tinubu’s reforms are already visible, with services, agriculture, finance and technology driving non-oil revenues to account for a larger share of government income. He added that inflation eased through 2025, foreign reserves improved and stability returned to the foreign exchange market.
Shettima noted that Nigeria’s economy grew by about 3.9 per cent last year, the fastest pace in over a decade, attributing the expansion to the resilience of the non-oil sector, which now contributes roughly 96 per cent of Gross Domestic Product.
Industry, Trade and Investment Minister Jumoke Oduwole described Nigeria House as a product of effective public-private partnership, while other officials said the pavilion would help attract non-oil investments and reposition Nigeria’s economic narrative globally.
