Agriculture, Manufacturing, others to take center stage at Nigeria economic summit

By Afusat Adeoluwa

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed on Monday said the agricultural, manufacturing, Informational and Communication Technology (ICT) sectors will be the key focus of the forthcoming Nigeria Economic Summit (NES).

Ahmed made the disclosure at a press briefing ahead of the 25th Nigeria Economic Summit which has the theme “Nigeria 2050, Shifting Gears” holding from 7-8 October in Abuja.

The Minister said, “the conference will focus on six key sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, ICT, financial services, creative industries as well as extractive industries. This is because the summit will be setting a new agenda for Nigeria to key into the 4th industrial revolution”

According to her, the economic summit which is organized by the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) in partnership with the federal government through the ministry of finance, budget and national planning serves as an avenue for robust discussion between public and private sector.

“Since the inception of the summit in 1993, the public and private sector, civil society organizations and academia have always come together with recommendations that help in shaping the federal government’s key economic policies.

“There is an urgent need for a robust competitive private sector through innovations of ideas in the macroeconomic environment to cater for Nigeria’s huge population, most of whom are under the age of 35 so as to set an agenda for Nigeria to key into the fourth revolution.

“The summit will also discuss the role of state governments in enhancing competitiveness through a stable macroeconomic growth that will drive economic growth and productivity of the Nigerian populace,” she explained.

Zainab maintained that the summit over the years have birth key economic policies of the government including the Economic and Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP) which expires by 2020, among others.

Earlier in his remarks, the chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), Asue Ighodalo said the summit will be focusing on enhancing private sector growth and productivity.

The chairman said “Only a competitive private sector growth can guarantee a conducive environment for Nigeria’s businesses and her huge population which is estimated to hit 400 million by the years 2050.

“This is why the summit this year will be a convergence point for thorough discussions between government and the private sector to advance the growth and productivity of the country.”