African Gas Pipeline Project, Lake Chad Recharge Top Agenda As VP Shettima, WEF President Meet

** Nigeria on path of sustained growth under President Tinubu, Says VP Shettima

By: Our Reporter

The Nigerian government has called for collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to foster economic development and growth in the country and on the African continent.

Specifically, it sought partnerships with the global body on the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) in the bid to connect Nigeria to Morocco and other African countries as well as the recharging of Lake Chad to tackle the global food security crisis and other existential threats.

Vice President Kashim Shettima stated this on Thursday during a bilateral meeting with President of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Mr. Børge Brende, on the sidelines of the ongoing annual meeting of WEF in Davos, Switzerland.

On the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, Senator Shettima said Nigeria will be in a vantage position to take advantage of the WEF platform to develop the gas project, pointing out that this will address the geopolitical challenges in Europe and the growing demand for energy due to artificial intelligence, data mining and storage.

He said, “We seek your collaboration in fundamental areas. One is on the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) which will connect Nigeria to Morocco and other African countries. The pipeline will transport natural gas from Nigeria to North Africa and Europe and is expected to improve energy security and economic growth in the region.

“With the geopolitical challenges in Europe from Russian gas problems and the rising demand for energy because of artificial intelligence, data mining and storage, we will be in a vantage position to take advantage of this opportunity.

“A lot of littoral states in West Africa who have discovered gas are more than willing to plug into the system and feed their gas to other end users. We are also exploring the area of undersea passage of the pipelines for it to be a win-win for everyone. We want to use the WEF platform.”

VP Shettima told the WEF President that while Nigeria is a country blessed with gas, the nation is exploring every option to maximise available opportunities for economic growth and create wealth for its growing population.

“Nigeria is a gas nation than an oil nation. Because of our population, we either take care of the young men and women, (our average is 16.9), or they take care of us in the next ten or twenty years down the line. This is why we are in a hurry to develop in our enlightened self-interest. Gas provides us with the utmost opportunity to generate wealth for our people,” he noted.

On recharging of the Lake Chad, the Nigerian Vice President said apart from addressing the food security crisis, it will also put Nigeria in a vantage position to generate clean energy and combat terrorism.

His words: “There is an incestuous relationship between economy and ecology in the Sahelian region. The challenges of Boko Haram and ISWAP might not be disconnected from the realities of existential threats we are facing.

“The Lake Chad hitherto was 25,000 sq. km but it has shrunk to 2,000 sq. km. There is the issue of the recharging of the Lake Chad from the Congo River basin which is the second largest river basin in the world, and the water is flowing into the Atlantic. We want to use your platform to recharge the Lake Chad.

“This will help us to successfully generate clean energy, a significant amount of hydropower annually, and there will be a canal of 2400 kilometres that will change the agricultural landscape of that sub-region. This will address the food security crisis that the world is facing.”

The Vice President also informed the WEF President about the ongoing reforms being undertaken by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying the Nigerian President has returned Nigeria to the part of sustained economic growth.

“Most importantly, we are talking about the present. My leader and my boss, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is someone who also grew up in the finance ecosystem. He was a financial controller for ExxonMobil; he was a transformative leader in Lagos State and in Nigeria, he is the most disruptive leader we have had in half a century.

“From the first week in office, he did the right thing – from the subsidy removal to the alignment of the exchange rates, tax reforms, and so many ongoing reform efforts. Our economy has turned the corner, we have crossed the Rubicon and we’re now on the path to sustained economic growth,” he stated.

The Vice President invited the WEF President to Nigeria to meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while also intimating him of Nigeria’s readiness to host the WEF Africa.

Underscoring why fostering collaboration with WEF is germane to the growth of Africa, VP Shettima noted that apart from being the biggest economy in the continent, Nigeria is also the most populous nation in Africa, with 250 million people.

“And by 2050, we will be the third most populous nation on earth, surpassing the United States. By the end of the century, Nigeria will be the most populous nation on earth,” he added.

African Gas Pipeline Project, Lake Chad Recharge Top Agenda As VP Shettima, WEF President Meet

Nigeria Will Lead Africa’s Growth With Education, Innovation In Agric – VP Shettima

** Says continent’s youths are drivers of global change

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria’s dedication to harnessing the potential of its youth, investing in education, and advancing smart agriculture are necessary strategies that will go a long way in tackling global and domestic challenges.

On a continental level, the Vice President noted that African youths are central to this transformation.

Speaking at the Financial Times Global Risk Roundtable at the ongoing 2025 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, VP Shettima observed however that while crises abound, they also present opportunities for nations to rebuild stronger.

He said, “The word for crisis in Chinese is ‘Wei Ji’. Wei stands for danger, while Ji stands for opportunity. Yes, we have challenges, but those challenges are pregnant with opportunities to re-engineer our society and build back better.”

The Vice President reaffirmed Nigeria’s resolve to embrace innovation and empowerment, particularly through education, gender-focused initiatives, and smart agriculture to propel its economy into the fourth post-industrial revolution.

“The crisis has given us a unique opportunity to invest in people, especially in areas that will enable us to leapfrog our economies into global competitiveness,” he said.

Senator Shettima also expressed disbelief in dependency on foreign aid, advocating instead for equal partnerships that uphold dignity.

“I don’t believe in aid; I believe in partnership. I’d rather carry my poverty with dignity and deal with people, nations, and companies on a pedestal of equality, not in a master-servant relationship. I didn’t come with a begging bowl,” he said.

The VP expressed optimism about Africa’s prospects, noting the continent’s rich resources and strategic importance to global growth, saying, “My continent is the richest in the world, and the trajectory of global growth is facing Africa. Nigeria will make or mar that transition. The youths of Africa are the drivers of change.”

Acknowledging global crises, including conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Sudan, the Vice President noted their impact on supply chains, humanitarian challenges, and peace.

He called for multilateral collaboration, stressing that the interconnected nature of global challenges requires solutions.

“There is an incestuous relationship between economy and ecology in the African continent. But hope springs eternal in the hearts of men. As members of the same human family, we can find solutions to our challenges. We must look inward to solve our problems, but multilateralism is key. These challenges are global, and we must fuse into one human family to overcome them,” the Vice President added.

Nigeria Will Lead Africa’s Growth With Education, Innovation In Agric – VP Shettima

Interior Minister Orders Reactivation of Broken Down Equipment in Atlanta, New York Consulates

By: Michael Mike

The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has ordered the reactivation of broken-down equipment of the passport offices in the United States offices in Atlanta and New York.

The Minister, in a statement by his spokesman, Alao Babatunde on Thursday said the order was necessary following the petition from Nigerians in the diaspora on the need to fix broken-down passport equipment in Atlanta and New York Consulates in the United States of America.

The spokesman said the minister has therefore directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to immediately deploy new printers to the passport offices in both cities.

He said: “These printers are ready for installation. This short-term solution aims to resolve the current challenge promptly.”

The statement read: “The Minister hinted that there is a new solution being implemented as a long-term plan that will usher in a streamlined passport regime, enabling Nigerians to apply for their passports with more ease.

“Part of this plan includes the activation of the Passport Personalisation Centre in Abuja, which is scheduled to start in the next few weeks while also opening up more countries for the already-deployed contactless solution.

“The Ministry of Interior under the Minister is working round the clock, and none of the agencies is left behind. At the Nigeria Immigration Service, for instance, there has been an end-to-end automation of the passport application process and the introduction of the contactless application process, which has since been launched in Canada.

“The Minister assures that the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to ensuring that Nigerians experience #RenewedHope laced with innovation and convenience while still enhancing national security.”

Interior Minister Orders Reactivation of Broken Down Equipment in Atlanta, New York Consulates