Shettima: Nigeria House, Davos, Reflects Nation’s Renewed Resolve to Contribute to Global Economic Conversations

• Inaugurates first ever Nigerian pavilion in Davos  

•Launches publications on investment opportunities in solid minerals, agriculture, creative, digital sectors

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday declared that the opening of Nigeria House in Davos reflected the country’s renewed seriousness, readiness, and resolve to take its place as an active participant in global economic conversations.

Shettima observed that while nations did not prosper in isolation, Nigeria’s future growth depended on deliberate, structured engagement with the global economy.

The vice president spoke at the formal opening of Nigeria House at the 2026 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

According to Shettima, Nigeria marks a historic milestone in its global economic engagement with the official opening of the house at WEF 2026.

He stated, “This day is extraordinary in the history of our engagements at this beautiful meeting point of global political leadership, policy thinkers, and corporate enterprise. For the first time in our nation’s history, Nigeria stands at Davos with a sovereign pavilion of its own.

“Nigeria House is a response to the lapses of the past. It reflects our intention. It reflects our seriousness. Above all, it advertises both our readiness and our resolve to take a front-line seat in the discourse of the global economy, not as observers, but as participants with a clear sense of purpose and place.”

Shettima pointed out that even though “Nigeria House may have been conceived as a whole-of-government platform, led by the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, with senior leadership across investment, foreign affairs, energy, infrastructure, technology, climate, and culture gathered under one roof,” the true essence of the house must come from the private sector.

He maintained, “Government can open doors, create frameworks, and de-risk environments; only enterprise can animate growth, scale opportunity, and translate policy into productivity. This House will thrive to the extent that it draws life from private capital, private innovation, and private confidence.”

The vice president explained that the dividends of the Tinubu administration’s reforms were beginning to materialise, stressing, “Our decision to open up to the world more deliberately comes at a turning point in our economic journey.”

He said, “The dividends of the difficult but inevitable reforms of recent years are beginning to show.”

Shettima recalled that in 2025, the Nigerian economy expanded by about 3.9 per cent, the fastest pace recorded in over a decade, driven largely by a resilient non-oil economy that now accounted for roughly 96 per cent of GDP.

He explained, “Services, agriculture, finance, and technology are expanding, while non-oil revenues now make up nearly three-quarters of government collections, marking a structural shift away from oil dependence.

“Inflation, which stood above 30 per cent in late 2024, eased significantly by the end of 2025, and external buffers have improved, with foreign reserves rising above 45 billion dollars and greater stability in the foreign exchange market.”

He invited the international business community to leverage the platform created through the Nigeria House project, saying, “Nigeria is open for business, but more importantly, Nigeria is open for collaboration.”

Shettima assured that Nigeria House would host conversations to move the country and the global community forward.

“We are here to learn from you just as much as we are here to inform you of the opportunities that await you in Nigeria. Progress is not a monologue; it is a dialogue,” he stated.

Earlier, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, applauded the support of Shettima in the realisation of the historic vision of Nigeria House, Davos, acknowledging his disposition and encouragement in the project.

Oduwole said the project demonstrated a strong Public Private Partnership and reflected the rejuvenation of the Nigerian economy. She said it showcased a unique sense of national pride and a shift in how Nigeria engaged with the rest of the world, especially, the international business community.

Highlighting the gains of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms as incentives for private sector investment, Oduwole said Nigeria, under the current dispensation, was rebuilding trust, restoring credibility, and positioning itself as the global centre for wealth creation and strategic partnership.

She stated that the playbooks being launched at the event were part of a broad strategy to leverage Nigeria’s potential in the solid minerals, climate sustainable agriculture, creative, digital sectors.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Engr Faruk Yano, outlined major interventions and initiatives undertaken by the Tinubu administration in the solid minerals and related sectors, aimed at diversifying and reforming the Nigerian economy.

Yano said Nigeria House, Davos, represented a deliberate action to consolidate the gains of Tinubu’s economic transformation efforts through high level engagements targeted at attracting investments in Nigeria’s non-oil sector.

He advocated fair treatment for emerging markets in the areas of access to finance and secured global supply chain network.

Lead Execution Partner, Nigeria House, Davos, Omowunmi Imoukhuede, emphasised that Nigeria House was a rare opportunity to tell stories about Nigeria’s unique investment potential.

Preceding the formal opening of Nigeria House, Davos, was a Global Business Roundtable focused on building a resilient supply chain network for the energy transition.