Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for greater emphasis on homegrown African economic solutions during his address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland.
Speaking on a high-level panel titled “Africa’s Path to Sustainable Growth” on Thursday, January 22, 2026, VP Shettima urged African nations to prioritise locally developed policies, innovation, and intra-African trade over heavy reliance on external models and financing.
“While global partnerships remain important, Africa’s future cannot be outsourced. We must build solutions that are African-led, African-financed, and African-owned. Homegrown innovation, regional integration through AfCFTA, value-chain development in agriculture and minerals, and youth-led digital economies are the real drivers of our prosperity,” Shettima stated.
The Vice President highlighted Nigeria’s ongoing reforms including the Dangote Refinery’s achievement of 50 million litres daily petrol production, targeted incentives for deepwater oil projects, and investments in agriculture and technology as practical examples of self-reliant growth strategies.
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Shettima’s remarks were delivered amid heightened global attention on Africa’s economic potential, with the continent’s combined GDP now surpassing $3 trillion and projected to grow rapidly if structural challenges are addressed.
The speech was well received by African delegates and drew applause for its focus on sovereignty and self-determination in economic policymaking.
By Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi
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