By Danjuma Amodu | January 19, 2026
Vice‑President Kashim Shettima on Monday inaugurated Nigeria’s inaugural sovereign pavilion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, describing the venture as a decisive statement of the nation’s renewed seriousness, readiness and resolve to shape global economic discourse.
Speaking at the opening of “Nigeria House” at WEF 2026, Shettima said that “nations do not prosper in isolation” and that Nigeria’s future growth hinges on deliberate, structured engagement with the world economy.
“This day is extraordinary in the history of our engagement at this beautiful meeting point of global political leadership, policy thinkers and corporate enterprise,” the Vice‑President said.
“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, our seriousness and, above all, our readiness to take a front‑line seat in the global economic discourse, not as observers but as participants with a clear sense of purpose and place.”
Shettima noted that the pavilion, conceived as a whole‑of‑government platform led by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment and supported by senior officials across investment, foreign affairs, energy, infrastructure, technology, climate and culture, must draw its vitality from the private sector.
“Government can open doors, create frameworks and de‑risk environments; only enterprise can animate growth, scale opportunity and translate policy into productivity,” he said.
The Vice-President stressed that. “This House will thrive to the extent that it draws life from private capital, private innovation and private confidence.”
The timing, he added, coincides with early dividends from President Bola Tinubu’s reforms. Nigeria’s economy expanded by about 3.9 per cent in 2025, the fastest pace in more than a decade, driven largely by a resilient non‑oil sector that now accounts for roughly 96 per cent of GDP. Services, agriculture, finance and technology are expanding, non‑oil revenues now contribute nearly three‑quarters of government collections, inflation has eased from over 30 per cent in late 2024, and foreign reserves have risen above $45 billion amid improved foreign‑exchange stability.
Inviting the global business community to leverage the platform, Shettima said, “Nigeria is open for business, but more importantly, Nigeria is open for collaboration. We are here to learn as much as we are here to share opportunities. Progress is not a monologue; it is a dialogue.”
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, praised the Vice‑President’s support, describing Nigeria House as a strong public‑private partnership that showcases renewed national confidence and a shift in how Nigeria engages the international business community.
She said the investment playbooks launched at the event, covering solid minerals, climate‑smart agriculture, creative and digital sectors form part of a broader strategy to leverage Nigeria’s vast economic potential and rebuild trust with global investors.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yano outlined key reforms and called for fairer access to finance and global supply chains for emerging markets. Lead execution partner Omowunmi Imoukhuede called the pavilion “a rare opportunity to tell Nigeria’s investment story on its own terms and project the country’s unique value proposition to the world.”
The opening was preceded by a Global Business Roundtable on building resilient supply chains for the energy transition. Also present were Minister of Science and Technology Dr Kingsley Ude, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, heads of government agencies and captains of industry.
