Doyin Salami, the chairman of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Economic Advisory Council has said that the way to secure Nigeria’s future lies in new thinking and clarity of purpose.
Speaking at the first plenary session of the 27th Nigerian Economic Summit (NES #27) titled, ‘Building secure Nigeria key priorities for economic growth and inclusion’, said Nigerians need to think local before thinking Africa.
Salam, one of the panellists, made it clear that the highest resources lie with the private sectors. To this effect, he said, “Clear appreciation and understanding of what can the government do, and what can the private sectors do?”
Another factor highlighted by Salami is the human capital slide.
“Dynamism of our population is very critical to economic growth,” he said.
He challenged the authorities to have a clear view of how to provide education to the teeming population and provide a sense of belonging to all Nigerians.
Ndidi Nwuneli, the co-founder of Sahel Consulting, private equity, and investment advisory firm, and one of the panellists decried the fact that 84 percent of Nigerians cannot provide food on their tables.
Nwuneli disclosed that food security and commitment to agriculture are key to securing the future of Nigeria.
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“There is an urgent need to improve the education system,” she said.
Besides, she pointed out that gender equality is needed to move the country forward, because according to her “women are the biggest asset of the country.”
Nwuneli urged the government to create enabling environments for the private sectors to thrive in Nigeria.
“Give the private sectors enabling environments to survive and they will deliver,” she said.
Also speaking, Benedict Oramah in his speech stressed that the key problem of Nigeria is paying lip service to pressing issues.
Oramah pointed out that Nigeria, as it is today, is at the lowest level at all aspects of development in almost every sector of life.
He reiterated that Covid-19 exposed the country’s non-productive woes, hence, even the face masks were difficult to get then, because the country could not import them due to the restrictions.
He advocated trans-national cooperation with other countries to secure the future of Nigeria.
The summit is organised to help Nigerians discuss, debate, examine, explore and conceptualise ways Nigeria can reverse poor economic trends, improve the human capital base of the economy and mitigate the security challenges facing the country.
It is meant to lay the necessary foundation that will leapfrog Nigeria into a future of high and sustained inclusive economic growth.
