Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima has touted the country’s youth population as an invaluable asset in its quest for technological growth and financial stability.
Speaking at the Nigeria-Sweden Business Forum at the Epicentre in Stockholm, Sweden on Thursday, Shettima said Nigeria’s future hinged on its youthful population and technology, stating that it was no longer asking for pity, but investment and partnerships.
Hear him: “I thank the organisation for opening its doors for us to have a meaningful conversation. We are in Sweden to build a relationship, we are not here begging for a pittance; we are here for business partnerships and investments because we have what it takes.
“The Nigerian business community has very young people who are here for improved relationships. What you hear about Nigeria goes beyond the theatrics in the social media.
He urged Swedish and European investors to take advantage of the country’s potential ahead of the predicted 65,000,000 global talent deficit in 2035.
“By 2035 there be a 65,000,000 million talent deficit – USA, Brazil and Russia will all suffer from a 6,000,000 talent deficit each. Nigeria is a young nation whose average age is 16.9 years, which can be transformed into demographic dividends, not demographic disasters that will consume all of us.
“Once we harness the potentials of the youths, give them hope for a better tomorrow, there is hope for a better future,” he said.
Speaking further, Shettima touted the country’s closeness to Europe as an advantage that can be exploited for mutually beneficial relationships with the West.
“From the comfort of our homes in Okitipupa, Sokoto and Guso, we can earn our living legitimately. I believe Nigeria is where the action is. We have the talents and a very young resilient and resourced population.
“With the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, this is the best time to come and invest in Nigeria.”
Already, Shettima told the Swedish business community that the present administration places a high premium on youth and its female population, which he said resulted in the appointment of youths into vibrant agencies and MDAs such as NITDA and NASENI.
“The president deliberately paid attention to the women and the youth to fill up key positions in this government,” he said, listing Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency and National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI, headed by a 32-year-old, Khalil Suleiman.
Vice President Shettima revealed that Nigeria’s present administration was working to wean its reliance on petrol as the single source of its foreign exchange earnings, stressing that the country has the potential to rival India as a Business Process Outsourcing nation.
“Nigeria is a mono-product economy. the highest we have earned from the export of crude oil was $35bn in 2011”, conversely, he said, “India is expected to earn over $100bn from BPO this year”.
The Vice President attended the event with a high-power delegation comprising Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria; Dr Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy; Gov. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, Governor of Plateau State and Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CEO National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Others are Khalil Suleiman Halilu Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), and Aminu Maida Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
