Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima has challenged governors, ministers and other public officials in the country to pursue an economic growth agenda that tangibly improves the lives of ordinary Nigerians, warning that expansion without inclusion offers little value to the people.
Speaking on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the National Economic Council (NEC) Conference, Shettima said global thinking had shifted from growth for its own sake to sustainable and inclusive development that delivers opportunities across all segments of society.
According to him, the two-day conference represents a continuation of the Federal Government’s covenant with Nigerians to build an economy that works for all.
“The inclusive growth on our radar is not an exercise in sloganeering. We have confronted the macroeconomic obstacles before us. What remains is to ensure that progress filters down to the everyday lives of our people,” Shettima said in a statement issued by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha.
He described the NEC as the most effective platform for translating policy into people-centred outcomes, stressing that national progress remains incomplete if opportunities are defined by geography.
“Our mission is incomplete if a child born in Lafia does not have the same chance to thrive as one born in Lagos; if the farmer in Makurdi, the entrepreneur in Aba and the student in Sokoto cannot all find dignity, opportunity and hope within the Nigerian dream,” he said.
The Vice President noted that while the conference provided an opportunity to assess the tasks ahead, it also underscored the strong working relationship between President Bola Tinubu and the NEC, particularly in advancing what he described as “inevitable and transformative reforms” aimed at resetting the foundations of the economy.
Shettima commended President Tinubu for efforts to stabilise and reposition the economy, arguing that the administration had demonstrated sincerity in its resolve to shield Nigeria from global shocks driven by geopolitical tensions and rising protectionism.
On the objectives of the conference, the Vice President said it was designed to onboard new governors and deepen collective understanding of NEC’s strategic role in shaping the country’s economic direction.
He said deliberations would focus on aligning federal and state policies with the National Development Plan (2021–2025) and the Nigeria Agenda 2050, with emphasis on poverty reduction, job creation and social protection.
Other priorities, according to him, include strengthening inter-regional collaboration through trade, investment and infrastructure frameworks that leverage the comparative advantages of each geopolitical zone, as well as exploring pathways to fiscal sustainability at both federal and subnational levels.
“We must reform tax systems and enhance internally generated revenue without overburdening our people, while ensuring that NEC resolutions translate into legislative and executive actions that deliver tangible outcomes at federal, state and community levels,” he said.
Shettima urged participants to be bold and pragmatic, stressing that history would judge leaders not by discussions, but by the clarity of their actions and the impact of their decisions.
In his welcome address, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, praised the NEC for its contributions to recent economic gains and commended the Vice President and state governors for their commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Bagudu expressed optimism that the conference would help build the consensus required to support the aspiration of a trillion-dollar Nigerian economy.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq—represented by Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun—said the conference came at a critical moment as the country undertakes a deliberate economic reset aimed at sustainable development.
He reaffirmed the commitment of state governments to delivering inclusive growth and national development in line with the Renewed Hope National Development Plan.
