Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on Nigerians in the United States to invest their expertise, networks, and capital in Nigeria's economic transformation. He made the appeal at the Nigeria House in New York while addressing an interactive session with Nigerians in the diaspora. The engagement was organised by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa. Shettima highlighted Nigeria's improved economic indicators, including increased foreign exchange reserves and investor confidence.
Shettima emphasized that the Federal Government is interested in harnessing the expertise of Nigerians abroad in strategic sectors such as education, healthcare, science and technology, and agriculture. He described the diaspora community as "the greatest resource of the future," citing their intellectual capacity to unlock Nigeria's economic potential. The Vice President expressed confidence in the country's ability to achieve sustained growth, stating that Nigerians possess the capacity to harness the nation's potentials and take it to greater heights.
The Vice President made a case for the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu, saying the administration had taken difficult decisions to drive growth. He noted that President Tinubu had taken bold steps, rather than dwelling on the shortcomings of previous governments. According to a statement issued by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said the reforms were beginning to produce measurable results, citing an increase in Nigeria's foreign reserves to over $55 billion and economic growth of 4.45 per cent in the last quarter.
The Central Bank of Nigeria reported that gross external reserves stood at $55.25 billion as of September 18, 2026, the highest level in 18 years. The apex bank also said the reserves provided about 11.3 months of import cover. Shettima argued that the strengthening of Nigeria's external position and improvements in the foreign exchange market would help protect diaspora remittances and investments made by Nigerians living abroad.
Shettima urged the diaspora to look beyond negative narratives about Nigeria and participate actively in the country's emerging investment opportunities. He assured them that Nigeria is open for business, despite negative stories on social media. The Vice President cited the Dangote Refinery success story as a manifestation of the country's growing investment confidence. He expressed optimism that Nigeria is on the path of sustained growth.
The Vice President also highlighted the administration's education financing programme, which has enabled over 1.29 million Nigerian students in tertiary institutions to access N125 billion through the Nigeria Education Loan Fund. On security, Shettima acknowledged the challenges confronting the country but expressed confidence that the administration was deploying available resources to contain emerging threats.
The New York engagement brought together a high-level Nigerian delegation, including several governors and ministers. The meeting also had in attendance Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, and Nigeria's Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Kayode Are. The event provided a platform for discussions on Nigeria's economic growth and investment opportunities.
Key points
- Nigeria's foreign reserves have increased to over $55 billion, the highest level in 18 years.
- The administration's economic reforms are producing measurable results, including a 4.45 per cent economic growth in the last quarter.
- The Vice President urged the diaspora to invest in Nigeria's economic growth, citing the country's improved economic indicators and investment opportunities.
