By Stanley Nkwocha
In 2023, when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was striving to take a shot at the presidency, he notably championed renewed hope and vowed to change the nation’s governance narrative. One of the things he promised was rebooting and resetting Nigeria’s economy on the global stage as the largest in Africa.
While the Tinubu presidency is now working doggedly to bring about reforms in this regard, only a few would have predicted so much positive change in less than two years in office. One of the factors working indubitably for him behind the scenes is the quality of Nigerians executing government policies in his cabinet.
President Tinubu had in March 2023 assured that he would assemble a team based on competence. He noted pointedly that it was time for politics to take backstage for governance, and that only those who shared his vision of good governance would make his blueprint for the nation feasible. Even before making his intention clear, he already had a dependable ally, Vice President Kashim Shettima, as part of the team.
Who says VPs can’t be veritable tools in the hands of the President? In times of crisis, the Vice President can support the President in responding to challenges, helping to develop and implement contingency plans and providing guidance on crisis management and communication strategies.
By promoting a culture of teamwork and collaboration within the government, they can encourage open communication, trust, and respect among team members. A competent Vice President can play a very salient role in helping the President fulfil his campaign promises and provide strategic support and advice on key policy issues that align with his vision.
This is evident in Vice President Shettima’s brilliant outing at the just concluded 2025 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, where he energetically promoted President Tinubu’s agenda for the nation on the global stage.
From strengthening relationships with foreign leaders and other stakeholders, Senator Shettima fostered partnerships and collaborations that support President Tinubu’s ongoing reforms back home as well as advance shared Africa’s interests. His participation in WEF 2025, particularly in the session on “Roadmap to Co-create Investment Opportunities for Africa’s Frontier Markets,” demonstrated his adeptness at engaging with global leaders and pushing Nigeria’s interests.
Availing himself of the platform provided by the forum, he marketed Nigeria under President Tinubu’s leadership to the world – a Nigeria that is poised to invade the global business platform with modernisation and robust investments. With President Tinubu, a seasoned chartered accountant whose economic reforms are rapidly turning the nation into an investment destination in Africa, and himself, a banker, who rose through the ranks in the banking ecosystem to become general manager in the country’s largest bank, Shettima said Nigeria is ready to embrace the path of modernization with very robust investments.
With the Vice President’s participation in the forum’s annual meeting, Nigeria’s voice was heard loud and clear, reminding the world that the nation still holds the ace when it comes to the big brother’s role in Africa. He underscored the importance of international cooperation in driving the continent’s economic growth, fostering inclusive development, and promoting peace and security.
Shettima’s vehement position in favour of Africa and Nigeria altered the chronicle of a continent often associated with tales of doom and gloom. He maintained that it is peculiarly not the case. Rather, he produced a vivid image of a continent that has woken up from its slumber, recalling Napoleon Bonaparte’s prediction about China. For Nigeria, he said the ‘big brother’ in Africa has come of age.
The VP’s confidence in Nigeria’s growth and development is obvious in his push for the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He is certain that AfCFTA has the potential to boost Africa’s economy to $29 trillion by 2050, and Nigeria has all it takes to play a leading role in this effort. By championing AfCFTA, Shettima demonstrated his understanding of the critical role that trade and economic integration play in driving the growth and development of a country.
In achieving this, he emphasised the importance of harnessing the potential of Nigerian youths, investing in education, and advancing smart agriculture to tackle global and domestic challenges. His passion and conviction are contagious, and his message resonated well with world leaders at the forum.
Shettima highlighted the significance of Africa’s demographic advantage. With a growing population of young people, the continent is poised for unprecedented growth. However, this demographic dividend can only be realized if African nations invest in education, skills development, and entrepreneurship. Shettima’s emphasis on this point underscores his commitment to ensuring that Nigeria and Africa as a whole are well-positioned to reap the benefits of this demographic shift.
Shettima’s projection of Nigeria’s future is clear – a country that is driven by innovation, entrepreneurship, and a skilled workforce. He believes that Nigeria has the potential to become a global leader in the knowledge age, and President Tinubu is committed to making this vision a reality. Through his efforts, Shettima is helping to create a sense of optimism and possibility around Nigeria’s future, and that President Tinubu’s leadership is inspiring a new generation of Nigerians to become involved in the country’s development.
In a nutshell, the Vice President’s sterling performance at this year’s meeting of the World Economic Forum has sent a strong signal to the international community – that Nigeria is now open for business. He has shown that Nigeria is a country that is serious about its economic development and that it is committed to working with global partners to achieve its goals.
His passion, vision, and commitment to Nigeria’s future make him a valuable asset to the Tinubu administration. With Shettima by his side, President Tinubu can be confident that his administration’s policies and programmes will be implemented to the letter, and that Nigeria will make significant progress towards achieving its development goals.
Make no mistake, Senator Shettima is redefining the role of the Vice President in Nigeria, proving to be a major force in the accomplishment of President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda. Unlike the norm where Vice Presidents are a liability to Presidents because they are seen as a mere symbol of regional balance in their political parties, he is a huge asset to the President. His outstanding performance at the recent WEF in Switzerland has sent a strong message that Nigeria is ready to take its rightful place on the global stage.
– Nkwocha is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of The Vice President)
