Nigeria’s economy will pick up in 15 months – Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s determination to provide the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the country.

Accordingly, Shettima tasked local and foreign investors to make Nigeria their investment hub adding that the country’s economy will pick up in 15 months.

The vice president gave the charge on Tuesday when he hosted the management of First Surat Group, as well as top management of MTN Nigeria at the presidential villa in Abuja.

He urged MTN Nigeria to facilitate and spearhead digital mobile money and digital education.

Shettima, in a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, expressed the willingness of the Tinubu administration to partner with various stakeholders in the quest to help boost the nation’s productivity base and generate rapid employment.

While commending the professionalism and devotion of Surat Group, which runs Nizamiye Hospital, Nizamiye Foundation, as well as its educational institutions, Shettima said that by extension, the group, with its 2,500 staff, caters for over 100,000 extended families and dependents.

He stated: “Agriculture remains key to the Nigerian economy. You may wish to consider divesting from the health and education sectors where you have distinguished yourself and delve into agric business where we have huge investment potential.”

For MTN Nigeria, the Vice President assured the telecoms giant of the federal government’s commitment to removing all obstacles militating against businesses.

VP Shettima said that gone are the days of double taxation and unnecessary bottlenecks, adding that President Tinubu’s policy on the ease of doing business would be carried to the later.

Promising that Nigeria’s economy would pick up massively in less than 15 months, he charged the telecommunication giant to consider fast-tracking digital mobile money, as well as digital education in Nigeria.

Earlier, the chairman of First Surat Group, Dr Ali Maina, appreciated the Vice President, just as he said aside from the company’s vast interest and strategic partnerships, its corporate social responsibility has seen it investing millions of naira on the lives and welfare of Nigerians.

On his part, chairman of MTN Nigeria, Ernest Ndukwe, and chief executive officer, Karl Olutokun Toriola, said the telecoms firm remains committed to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

They promised that in no distant time, MTN Nigeria will birth the much-needed 5D network in Nigeria.