Vice President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday declared that President Bola Tinubu is fully committed to unlocking Nigeria’s full potential and positioning the country as a leading force on the African continent, driven by strategic investments in human capital and bold economic reforms.
According to him, Nigeria is actively seeking expertise from the global best institutions to enhance policy formulation and implementation, particularly in human capital development.
Speaking while playing host to a delegation from the Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, led by Senior Fellow Dr. Rolf Alter, at the State House in Abuja , the Vice President noted that President Tinubu is determined to elevate Nigeria to its rightful position as a leading force in Africa.
“The current crop of leadership in Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu is ready and willing to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian nation on the African continent. We are laying the groundwork through strategic reforms, and at the heart of it is human capital development,” Shettima stated.
He described the Hertie School as a valuable partner in the journey, noting that “Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, has the track record and institutional knowledge to add value to our policy formulation and delivery, especially in this disruptive age.”
Reiterating the government’s priority on upskilling Nigerians, the Vice President said, “Skills are very important, and with our Human Capital Development (HCD) 2.0 programme, we are in a position to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian people by enhancing their capital skills.”
He acknowledged the vital support of international development partners in this effort: “I want to thank the World Bank, the European Union, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and all our partners in that drive to add value to the Nigerian nation,” he maintained.
Specifically, Shettima said human capital development is both an economic imperative and a social necessity, just as he said, “We can only turn our demographic bulge into a demographic dividend when we invest in the human capital of the people.”
Assuring the visiting delegation of the government’s readiness to deepen cooperation, he said, “We need the skills and the capacity from your school. The world is now knowledge-driven. I wish to implore you to have a very warm and robust partnership with the government and people of Nigeria.”
The Vice President further explained recent economic decisions of the government, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms, saying, “the removal of fuel subsidy, the unification of the exchange rate regime and the revolution in the energy sector are all painful processes, but at the end of the day, the Nigerian people will laugh last.
“President Bola Tinubu is a very modern leader who is willing to take far-reaching, courageous decisions to reposition the Nigerian economy,” he added.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Dr Alter, congratulated the Tinubu administration for the successful launch and implementation of the Human Capital Development (HCD) strategy, which he described as ambitious and targeted towards the improvement of the lives of the citizens.
He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his engagements since arriving in the country, applauding the zeal, commitment, energy and goodwill observed among stakeholders in the implementation of Nigeria’s HCD programme.
Alter said the Hertie School of Governance will work closely with authorities in Nigeria across different levels to deliver programmes that are specifically designed to address the unique needs of the country.
He, however, stressed the need for government officials at different levels to be agile and amenable to the dynamics of the evolving world, particularly as Nigeria attempts to successfully accelerate its human capital development aspirations.
