Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the administration of President Bola Tinubu has succeeded in ending the era of volatility and unpredictability that once defined Nigeria’s economy.
According to him, global economic uncertainties “shocks, shifting alliances, and the rapid displacement of traditional jobs by emerging technologies” have compelled the administration to act boldly and decisively.
Shettima stated this on Tuesday in Abuja while declaring open the Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition 2025, noting that the ongoing reforms initiated by the Tinubu administration are stabilizing the economy, boosting investor confidence, and earning commendations from international observers.
Citing Fitch’s upgrade of Nigeria’s sovereign rating to “B” with a stable outlook and Moody’s lifting of the nation’s issuer rating to “B3” with a stable outlook, the Vice President said the world has begun to recognize Nigeria’s steady economic direction.
“What this administration has achieved is to end the regimes of volatility and unpredictability that once defined our economy. The phase before us now is to ensure that these macroeconomic gains trickle down to the people, from the kiosks of our neighbourhood traders to the boardrooms of our multinational corporations,” he stated.
He explained that the government’s bold reforms were guided by the understanding that “20th-century solutions cannot solve 21st-century problems.”
The Vice President praised the conference’s theme “Innovation for a Sustainable Digital Future: Accelerating Growth, Inclusion, and Global Competitiveness” saying it aligns with President Tinubu’s economic reform agenda aimed at empowering young Nigerians to take leadership roles in shaping the country’s digital future.
Shettima emphasized that Nigeria’s long-term stability depends on digital transformation, urging that the nation must move beyond “quick-win” applications to deep-tech innovations that address fundamental challenges in agriculture, health, logistics, and governance.
He said, “We need a digital ecosystem that works as seamlessly in Lagos as it does in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, and Gusau. The digital success we seek is one where a farmer in Bida can access real-time market data to sell his harvest at a fair price, and a young woman in Oguta can work remotely for a global company because she has the connectivity and skills to compete.”
Shettima noted that Nigeria cannot continue lamenting its absence in previous industrial revolutions when the ongoing digital revolution offers a redemptive opportunity to define its own terms in global progress.
Describing President Tinubu as “a man of a thousand visions,” he said the administration’s digital strategy rests on three pillars: People, Infrastructure, and Policy.
On People, Shettima said the government is building a digital talent pipeline through digital literacy in schools, the Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) initiative, and the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme.
On Infrastructure, he mentioned that the administration is constructing a broadband “superhighway” to ensure high-speed connectivity nationwide through projects like Bridge and 774.
On Policy, Shettima revealed that the government is finalizing the National Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill, which will usher in “an era of smarter governance, greater transparency, and inclusive service delivery.”
He urged private sector collaboration, describing industry players as the “innovators, disruptors, and dreamers who turn possibilities into progress.”
Earlier, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, said that enabling digital policies under the Tinubu administration are set to strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and global competitiveness.
Also, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, commended the Vice President for his commitment to youth empowerment, while NDPC CEO, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, called for deeper collaboration to harness Nigeria’s growing digital potential for socio-economic growth.
