Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged Nigerians living in the United States to bring their expertise and investments back home, assuring them that the economy of the country is steadily bouncing back.
Speaking on Wednesday during an interactive session at the Nigeria House in New York, Shettima described the diaspora community as the nation’s greatest future resource. The event drew a large crowd of US-based Nigerian professionals alongside top government officials, including several state governors and ministers.
The Vice President used the platform to defend President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, emphasizing that instead of blaming past administrations for the woes, the current government took bold, difficult decisions that are now paying off.
Shettima stated that Nigeria’s foreign reserves have jumped from $3.9 billion to over $55 billion and a 4.45% economic growth recorded in the last quarter. He assured the audience that their remittances and local investments are safe, with the foreign exchange market in a stabilized state.
Shettima also mentioned the successes of the newly introduced student loan scheme (NELFUND), stressing that the program has already provided ₦125 billion to over 1.29 million university students. He also praised the Dangote Refinery as living proof that massive private investments can still thrive in Nigeria.
Shettima encouraged the diaspora to look past internet rumors and focus on the real opportunities back home.
“Be rest assured that beyond the negative stories that you hear and see in the social media, Nigeria is open for business…We have crossed the rubicon, and we are on the path of sustained growth. Whatever binds us together supersedes whatever divides us as a people”, Shettima.
While addressing ongoing security concerns, he admitted that the country faces challenges but stressed that the government is actively tackling them.
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