Shettima: Nigeria’s $1trn Economy Requires Productive Enterprise, Innovation

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy cannot be achieved by government alone, stressing the need for productive enterprise, investment, innovation and the ability of Nigerians to create value….

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy cannot be achieved by government alone, stressing the need for productive enterprise, investment, innovation and the ability of Nigerians to create value.

Shettima also emphasised the importance of empowering women and young people with the skills, finance and market access needed to build sustainable businesses and contribute to national development.

The Vice-President stated this in a keynote address at the Aspire Women Forum masterclass themed “From Survival to Thriving: Empowering Women and Youth for Export Readiness, Global Market Access and Prosperity under the Renewed Hope Agenda” at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

He was represented at the event by the Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Development Partners, Inna Binta Audu.

According to Shettima, moving from survival to thriving is not merely a personal ambition but an economic necessity and a national development priority.

“What makes this initiative particularly valuable is its emphasis on practical knowledge. The true measure of this masterclass will not be the number of people in this hall, but the number of businesses that become stronger, the number of entrepreneurs who reach new markets and the number of livelihoods transformed by what is learnt here,” he said.

The Vice-President said President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda was built on the belief that lasting national prosperity must come from productive economic activities and Nigerians’ capacity to create value.

He added that women and young people must play a central role in achieving the country’s economic ambitions.

“Their economic participation expands our productive capacity, strengthens household incomes, creates employment and widens the opportunities available to future generations,” he said.

Shettima, however, noted that economic inclusion must go beyond training programmes and empowerment announcements to provide entrepreneurs with access to the tools, institutions and markets required to turn their skills into sustainable income.

He commended the founder of Aspire Women Forum, Dr Zainab Marwa, and its partners for organising the masterclass.

Meanwhile, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), warned aspiring exporters against allowing their businesses to be used for illicit drug trafficking.

Marwa said a single consignment contaminated with illegal drugs could cost an exporter their freedom, damage their family’s reputation and undermine Nigeria’s image in international markets.

Addressing participants at the event, he urged women and young entrepreneurs preparing to trade across borders to verify their business partners and transactions and ensure they knew exactly what they were shipping.

“Know exactly what you are shipping. Verify your partners and your transactions. Never carry a package you did not pack, and never let your goods be used for trafficking,” he warned.

The NDLEA chief said export readiness depended not only on producing goods for international markets but also on maintaining integrity, meeting required standards, keeping accurate documentation and providing reliable services.

He cautioned participants against accepting suspicious packages or allowing the promise of financial rewards to draw them into criminal activities.

Marwa also warned that substance abuse could undermine the ambitions of aspiring entrepreneurs, urging them not to turn to drugs in response to pressure, disappointment or the desire to fit in.

“Do not let pressure, disappointment, curiosity or the desire to belong draw you into drugs. Drugs solve no business problem and end no hardship; they only multiply them,” he said.

He encouraged anyone struggling with drug dependence to seek professional assistance, describing treatment as an act of courage rather than shame.

Marwa said the NDLEA’s toll-free helpline, 0800 1020 3040, was available round the clock, with trained professionals providing assistance in English, Pidgin, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.

He also pledged the agency’s readiness to partner with Aspire Women Forum through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy programme.

“Invest in your abilities. Choose your associations carefully. Pursue your goals with discipline and integrity. Thrive, and stay drug-free,” he added.

Earlier, the founder and president of Aspire Women Forum, Dr Zainab Marwa, said many Nigerians worked hard to produce goods and provide services but struggled to make meaningful financial progress because of gaps in business management and access to markets.

She identified poor record-keeping, lack of business registration, unsuitable financing, inadequate packaging and limited access to buyers as some of the challenges confronting small businesses.

Marwa commended the Federal Government for supporting enterprise and economic inclusion under the Renewed Hope Agenda, including financing interventions for small businesses through the Bank of Industry and initiatives focused on skills development and digital enterprise.

She said the masterclass was designed to help participants understand how to access available opportunities and prepare their businesses for wider markets.

The forum also expanded participation to young men alongside women and young women, recognising that unstable income affects entire households, she added.

Marwa said the organisation would continue engaging participants after the event through mentoring, referrals and further learning opportunities.

She expressed appreciation to Shettima for the support of his office, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the founder of Women in Agribusiness, Trade and Export, Dr Queen Onyinye Okpa, among others.

The organisers said the initiative was intended to help entrepreneurs move beyond subsistence-level activity towards sustainable businesses capable of accessing finance, creating jobs and competing in international markets.

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