Vice President Highlights Economic Reforms, Foreign Reserves and Diaspora Investment Opportunities
Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured Nigerians in the United States that Nigeria remains open for business despite negative reports about the country on social media.
Shettima spoke on Wednesday at Nigeria House in New York during an interactive session with members of the Nigerian diaspora community in the US.
He said the Federal Government was working to reposition the economy and attract investment, while urging Nigerians abroad to support the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The Vice President highlighted ongoing efforts in education, healthcare, science and technology and agriculture, describing the skills and knowledge of Nigerians in the diaspora as an important resource for national development.
Shettima also defended the administration’s economic reforms, saying Tinubu took difficult decisions after assuming office rather than blaming his predecessor for the country’s economic situation.
He claimed that Nigeria’s foreign reserves had risen from $3.9 billion to more than $55 billion and that the economy recorded 4.45 per cent growth in the last quarter.
According to him, improvements in the exchange rate and foreign reserves would help protect diaspora remittances, support exchange-rate stability and strengthen the security of investments made by Nigerians abroad.
Shettima also cited the Dangote Refinery as an example of growing investment activity in Nigeria, saying the government was working to restore investor confidence.
On education, he said more than 1.29 million Nigerian students in tertiary institutions had accessed N125 billion through the Nigeria Education Loan Fund since its establishment.
Addressing security challenges, Shettima said the government was deploying available resources to tackle emerging threats, while noting that insecurity was not peculiar to Nigeria.
He urged Nigerians to work towards building a united and prosperous country, stressing that the issues that unite Nigerians should take precedence over those that divide them.
The meeting was attended by several governors, ministers, lawmakers, senior government officials and Nigeria’s diplomatic representatives in the United States.