Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday formally commissioned Nigeria House at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, describing the country’s first-ever sovereign pavilion at the global meeting as a clear statement of Nigeria’s renewed seriousness, readiness and resolve to actively shape global economic conversations.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Shettima said Nigeria’s future prosperity depends on deliberate and structured engagement with the global economy, stressing that nations do not thrive in isolation.
“For the first time in our nation’s history, Nigeria stands at Davos with a sovereign pavilion of its own,” the Vice President said.
“Nigeria House reflects our intention. It reflects our seriousness. Above all, it advertises both our readiness and our resolve to take a front-line seat in the discourse of the global economy, not as observers, but as participants with a clear sense of purpose and place.”
He described the inauguration of Nigeria House as a historic milestone in the country’s global economic engagement, noting that the platform was created to correct past lapses and project Nigeria as a confident and credible investment destination.
Shettima explained that although Nigeria House was conceived as a whole-of-government initiative, bringing together leadership across trade, investment, foreign affairs, energy, infrastructure, technology, climate and culture, its success would ultimately depend on 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.
“This House will thrive to the extent that it draws life from private capital, private innovation and private confidence.”
The Vice President said the opening of Nigeria House coincides with early dividends from the economic reforms of the Tinubu administration, describing the period as a turning point in Nigeria’s economic journey.
“The dividends of the difficult but inevitable reforms of recent years are beginning to show,” Shettima said, recalling that Nigeria’s economy grew by about 3.9 per cent in 2025, the fastest pace in over a decade, driven largely by a resilient non-oil sector.
According to him, services, agriculture, finance and technology are expanding, while non-oil revenues now account for nearly three quarters of government collections, marking a structural shift away from oil dependence.
He added that inflation, which stood above 30 per cent in late 2024, eased significantly by the end of 2025, while foreign reserves rose above 45 billion dollars and stability improved in the foreign exchange market.
Inviting the international business community to leverage the new platform, Shettima said Nigeria House would host conversations aimed at driving national and global progress.
“Nigeria is open for business, but more importantly, Nigeria is open for collaboration,” he said. “We are here to learn from you just as much as we are here to inform you of the opportunities that await in Nigeria. Progress is not a monologue; it is a dialogue.”
Earlier, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, applauded the Vice President’s support for the realisation of Nigeria House, describing the project as a product of strong public-private partnership and a symbol of renewed national pride.
She said the initiative reflects a shift in how Nigeria engages the global business community and showcases the rejuvenation of the economy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to her, investment playbooks launched at the event highlight opportunities in solid minerals, climate-smart agriculture, creative industries and the digital economy.
Nigeria, she said, is rebuilding trust, restoring credibility and positioning itself as a global hub for wealth creation and strategic partnerships.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Engr Faruk Yusuf Yano, said Nigeria House represents a deliberate effort to consolidate the gains of ongoing economic reforms by attracting investment into the non-oil sector.
He also called for fairer treatment of emerging markets in access to finance and global supply chains.
The Lead Execution Partner for Nigeria House, Omowunmi Imoukhuede, said the pavilion offers a rare opportunity to tell Nigeria’s investment story and showcase its unique economic potential to the world.
The commissioning of Nigeria House followed a Global Business Roundtable focused on building resilient supply chains for the energy transition.
Dignitaries at the event included the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Ude; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar; heads of government agencies and captains of industry.
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