Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Abuja after a week-long diplomatic and economic mission to Guinea-Conakry and Switzerland, declaring that Nigeria has reclaimed a frontline position in regional and global policy engagements.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice President arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Shettima represented President Bola Tinubu at the inauguration of Guinea’s President, Mamadi Doumbouya, before leading Nigeria’s delegation to the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
According to the Vice President, the engagements underscored Nigeria’s renewed commitment to West African solidarity and its determination to reposition the economy in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.
His visit commenced in Conakry, where he attended President Doumbouya’s inauguration, reaffirming Nigeria’s leadership role within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and exploring new opportunities for bilateral cooperation, particularly in agriculture and manufacturing.
From Guinea-Conakry, Shettima proceeded to Davos to head Nigeria’s delegation at WEF 2026.
A major highlight of the Davos engagement was the commissioning of Nigeria House Davos, the country’s first-ever sovereign pavilion on the Davos Promenade. The pavilion serves as a permanent investment hub, showcasing opportunities in solid minerals, agriculture, and the digital economy.
Speaking at a high-level WEF session titled “When Food Becomes Security,” the Vice President unveiled Nigeria’s new national food security framework, positioning agriculture as a strategic pillar of national security and macroeconomic stability.
Shettima also joined former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and Minister of Finance Wale Edun to advance the Accra Reset Initiative, an advocacy platform promoting African industrialisation driven by domestic capital, value chains, and self-reliance rather than foreign aid.
On the economic front, he assured global investors that Nigeria’s macroeconomic fundamentals were stabilising, citing a projected GDP growth rate of 4.4 per cent in 2026 and a decline in inflation to 12.94 per cent.
He further highlighted Nigeria’s imminent transition into a net exporter of refined petroleum products, driven by the Dangote Refinery, as well as the country’s expanding export of digital talent.
