Experts chart path for Nigeria’s economic recovery amid headwinds

L-R: Babatunde Irukera, immediate past chairman Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission; Niyi Yusuf, managing partner, Verraki (A member of Andersen Consulting); Afolabi Tiamiyu, founder, Opinion Forum; and Folabi Kuti, all distinguished members of the Opinion Forum, at the 10th anniversary and Inaugural public symposium,held at Oriental Hotels, VI, Lagos.

… as Opinion Forum marks 10 years

As Nigeria contends with a volatile naira, rising inflation, and the ripple effects of global trade disruptions, experts have highlighted how Africa’s most populous nation can turn the downsides to opportunities.

At a symposium marking its 10th anniversary, Opinion Forum, a non-partisan civic group, convened top executives, policymakers, and economists in Lagos to explore how Nigerian enterprises can navigate global uncertainty and structural weaknesses at home.

Themed “Trump Trade Wars, Naira Devaluation: Risks and Opportunities for Nigerian Enterprises,” the forum featured a keynote from Sterling Bank CEO Abubakar Suleiman, who warned against short-termism in corporate strategy.

“What we call trade wars are symptoms of deeper systemic issues,” Suleiman said. “Nigeria must shift from chasing quarterly profits to building durable institutions and enterprise strategies that can survive global shocks.”

Niyi Yusuf, Chair of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, underscored the permanence of volatility in global markets. “Disruptions are no longer exceptional, they’re the baseline,” he said, urging Nigerian firms to leverage instruments like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to diversify markets and hedge against forex pressure.

Founded in 2015 during Nigeria’s social media-fueled election cycle, Opinion Forum began as a digital platform for civic debate. A decade later, it has evolved into a prominent voice for inclusive governance, civic engagement, and economic reform.

“We created the Forum to counter noise with knowledge,” said Afolabi Tiamiyu, founder and a US-based physician. “Ten years on, we’re not just reflecting, we’re doubling down on our commitment to evidence-based dialogue.”

The forum also highlighted its growing social footprint, with plans to support Massey Street Children’s Hospital in Lagos through a new outreach initiative.

As the country faces continued economic headwinds—ranging from debt sustainability concerns to currency instability—Opinion Forum’s leaders say their next decade will focus on scaling research, deepening policy advocacy, and expanding grassroots impact.

Wasiu Alli

Wasiu Alli is a business, economics cum data journalist with strong expertise covering macro trends, capital markets, government policies, corporate earnings and comparative economics analysis. Alli turns raw data into trends that not only tells compelling stories but nudges investors to make valued and informed decisions. He’s an alumnus of Lagos State University and trained at Lagos Business School. He formerly heads the Companies and Markets desk at BusinessDay where he writes and supervises the production of well researched articles on earnings updates, corporate sectoral comparisons, market intelligence as well as interviews with C-suite executives.