Europe, Africa Must Maximise Potentials For Transformative Development, Says VP Shettima

** Urges European Union to be co-creator of continent’s prosperity

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has implored the European Union (EU) and Africa to maximise their potential for the continent’s transformative development.

He described the EU as Nigeria’s natural partner, whose investments in the most populous nation on the African continent have been assisting greatly in realising ongoing reforms by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Senator Shettima who stated this on Thursday during a meeting with a delegation of the EU led by its Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Gautier Mignot, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, called for deeper bilateral ties between Nigeria and the EU, saying the nation’s relationship with the regional body must advance from well-intentioned commitments to transformative results.

Accordingly, he pledged Nigeria’s readiness to continue to leverage Global Gateway, a strategic initiative of the EU to invest in smart, clean, and secure infrastructure as well as connectivity across the world, including Nigeria, by accelerating key projects like the high-speed rail links, improved ports and airports, renewable power plants, and vocational training centers.

Urging the continent and the regional body to maximise their potential, he said, “The EU are our natural allies and natural partners. I am guided by logic, rationality and not by sentiments. We see our relationship with the EU as a long-term goal because we have come a long way, and there is room for improvement.

“Our expectations as Nigerians and as Africans are clear. We want this partnership to graduate from well-meaning commitments to transformative outcomes. We want more joint ventures, deeper trade facilitation under the AfCFTA, unchangeable investments in energy, education and digital inclusion.”

Maintaining that a stronger relationship with the EU is sacrosanct, the VP noted that Nigeria shares many things in common with the EU, including commitment to democracy, freedom of worship, inclusivity and gender empowerment, even as he said it is time to build a future where multilateralism reflects true mutuality globally.

He continued: “We hope to see the EU move from being a donor to being a co-creator of African prosperity. We really want to be partners with the European Union, not as recipients of aid but as co-creators of prosperity and wealth.

“And we have some commonalities that we share – our commitment to democracy, freedom of worship, inclusivity and gender empowerment, green technology initiative and climate adaptability. We are literally on the same page with the EU on so many issues.”

On the efforts of the current leadership of the African Union (AU) Commission, VP Shettima said it has brought a renewed commitment and clarity to the vision of the AU.

“I believe they are poised to reposition Africa not just as a subject of global discussion but as a co-author of the world’s next chapter,” he added.

Earlier, EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, emphasised the strength and longevity of the relationship between the two continents, which is celebrating 25 years.

Mignot said, “The EU is Africa’s first partner—its first trading partner, first investor, first provider of official development assistance, and first humanitarian donor.”

According to the Ambassador, EU foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa reached €309 billion in 2022, significantly outpacing both the United States and China.

“It shows the strength of the EU’s commitment to Africa, and we want to enhance this presence,” Mignot added.

He explained that the meeting will also review progress on the Joint Vision for 2030, a shared strategic framework agreed upon at the last AU-EU Summit in 2022. This vision aligns with Africa’s development roadmap—Agenda 2063—and the operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

President Tinubu Committed To Sustaining Nigeria, Zambia Fraternal Brotherhood – VP Shettima

Meanwhile, Vice President Shettima has said Nigeria and the Republic of Zambia share a longstanding fraternal brotherhood, and the administration of President Tinubu is committed to sustaining the relationship.

The Vice President stated this on Thursday when he received President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia’s Special Envoy, Dr Samuel Miambo, who was at the Presidential Villa to deliver President Hichilema’s message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Senator Shettima said Nigeria was proud of its shared heritage with Zambia, especially the country’s contributions to civil liberties liberation during the apartheid era, and its strong democratic heritage and stability since independence.

He assured the envoy of Nigeria’s continued support for the government and people of Zambia, particularly in the pursuit of programmes and policies that target the improvement of lives and livelihoods of the people of both countries.

Earlier, Dr Miambo, who conveyed President Hichilema’s message and special greetings to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, solicited Nigeria’s support for his quest for the presidency of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

He said as a big brother in the continent, Nigeria’s support will be crucial for the success of any presidency of the AfDB and highlighted his vision for the development of the continent anchored on energy security, infrastructure and the construction of an African Centre of Excellence for Energy in Nigeria.

Accompanying the Special Envoy on the visit to the Vice President were the Zambian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb. George Imbuwa; Advisers to the Zambian President – Mr Manfred Ndonuie and Mrs Elita Mwambazi.

Europe, Africa Must Maximise Potentials For Transformative Development, Says VP Shettima

UK Commends Nigeria’s Economic Reforms
Insists Though Reforms Have Brought Hardship But Necessary for Future Growth and Stability

By: Michael Mike

The United Kingdom has commended Nigeria’s Economic reforms being carried out by the President Bola Tinubu administration

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery gave the commendation at a press conference on UK-Nigeria trade on Wednesday in Abuja.

Montgomery said though the reforms have brought high inflation and hardship but they are necessary for future growth ànd stability of the country.

He said: “President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms are working, and they have made Nigeria more investible.

“The Naira is now more stable and more predictable. And the last quarter Nigerian economy has grown by 4%.”

He also noted that the UK is also carrying out economic reforms that will be beneficial to Nigeria because they will make business investment’s more predictable, simplify regulations of doing business.

“We also have reforms in the UK economy and we are working on how they can benefit Nigeria.”

The Director General, Presidential Enabling Business Council (PENEC), Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu, on her part said the Naira is now more stable and it’s good for investors.

She said: “This conversation is about investment and trade; to me the Naira is more stable because it’s more predictable and prior to my appointment as DG , I use to work with the president on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), as a technical adviser and I can tell you; one o the key things that investors look for is stability, predictability . People invest in Afghanistan not because it’s better than Nigeria,. It was a war zone but because it was predictable.

“And that is what President Tinubu has created in Nigeria. There is predictability, we no longer have that market window where we had people who were simply trading the Naira. And that have been eradicated.”

Speaking further she said: “What we’ve done now is that we have stopped the ability for agencies or departments or ministries to come up with new new policies. It must go through all the stakeholders engagement, it must go through all the assessments to make sure that the positives far outweighs the adverse reactions of the businesses.”

“We are also doing everything possible to grow our local economy.” She added

The British Country Director, Department of Business and Trade, Mark Smithson, disclosed that UK-Nigeria trade volume is £7.2 billion.

“UK/Nigeria trade volume is £7.2N and the UK has approved zero tariff on 3000 exports from Nigeria, which includes: cocoa, cashew nuts, tomatoes and others.”

UK Commends Nigeria’s Economic Reforms
Insists Though Reforms Have Brought Hardship But Necessary for Future Growth and Stability

All Nigerians to be Enrolled to NIMC Databank Before End of Year

…120m Nigerians have been captured so far- Says Coker-Odusote

By: Michael Mike

No fewer than 120 million Nigerians have been enrolled so far by the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC.

This is as the agency disclosed plans to move the enrollment to various wards in the country as part of the efforts to get all Nigerians enrolled, insisting that a target of enrolling all Nigerians before the end of 2025 has been set.

NIMC Director General, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, while addressing the media in Abuja on Wednesday, said the target of enrollment of all Nigerians by the end of the year into the NIMC databank has been set.

Coker-Odusote said: “Our systems have moved from 100 million capacity to about 250 million due to the upgrade and launch of various digital platforms to support our services in line with international standards and best practices.

“That is why I can assure you that before the end of this year, NIMC will have enrolled all Nigerians and residents. We have moved from local government areas to wards and communities to ensure that we have seamless enrolment.”

She also revealed that the agency within the past 18 months has embarked on the training and reorientation of its workers to ensure efficient and effective service delivery in all aspects of their operations.”

She further disclosed that through collaboration and partnerships with about 120 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, the country’s National Social Register has been updated and 2.3 million Nigerians have been verified and revalidated.

Coker-Odusote added that: “Within the past 18 months, we have been able to cover lots of ground. Besides the ongoing integration of the Civil Service and Agencies under the Ministries, we have also integrated the private sector, especially banks and Telcos.

“This development has helped to eliminate fake new sites and fake sites for NIN registration by some sharks. NIN is now tied to the school feeding programme, student loans programme, and disbursement of government social welfare packages.

“The government has been able to cut waste and eliminate identity fraud and corruption within the system. What we are advocating is that citizens should take responsibility for the safety and protection of their data.”

All Nigerians to be Enrolled to NIMC Databank Before End of Year