- Shettima Pushes States On Export Reforms To Position Nigerian Products For Greater Competitiveness In Global Markets
- Says Sustainable Economic Growth Depends On Strengthening Entire Value Chain From Farms To Factories, Ports, International Markets.
The National Economic Council (NEC) has approved N83.2 billion for interventions aimed at mitigating the impact of flooding and other climate-related emergencies across Nigeria, as Vice President Kashim Shettima urged state governments to collaborate with the Federal Government in removing barriers hindering the country’s agricultural exports.
The approval was granted on Thursday during the 158th NEC meeting, following a presentation by the Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, on the need for proactive measures to address recurring flooding and related disasters, especially during the rainy season.
The funds will be deployed through the Anticipatory Action Task Force (AATF), a mechanism designed to reduce the effects of anticipated disasters before they occur. Council members stressed the importance of moving away from reactive responses to emergencies and adopting preventive strategies to safeguard lives and livelihoods.
Addressing the meeting, Vice President Shettima said the administration of President Bola Tinubu had reached a stage where economic reforms must translate into tangible benefits for citizens across the federation.
He noted that the success of government policies should be measured by their impact on ordinary Nigerians, including farmers, manufacturers, vulnerable groups, unemployed youths and future generations.
“When this Council last met, I called our economy a workshop—a place of measurement and correction. A place where plans are turned into systems, and systems into institutions before any of it becomes prosperity,” Shettima said.
He added that Nigeria was steadily transitioning from economic stabilisation to production-driven growth, stressing that the country’s development agenda now requires greater emphasis on implementation and measurable results.
According to the Vice President, national prosperity cannot be achieved if vulnerable citizens are left behind, describing social protection programmes as critical tools for strengthening human capital and ensuring inclusive development.
“The assignment has not changed. We remain a federation moving from stabilisation to production, from aspiration to implementation, from isolated interventions to coordinated national growth. What has changed, I hope, is our proximity to delivery.
“A federation does not earn its prosperity by leaving its most vulnerable behind and hoping they catch up. The dignity of the citizen with the least is the floor beneath which we have resolved that no Nigerian shall fall.”
On economic diversification, Shettima called for an end to Nigeria’s dependence on exporting raw materials while importing finished products.
“We cannot continue to export raw materials and import finished prosperity,” he said, stressing that sustainable economic growth depends on strengthening the entire value chain from farms to factories, ports and international markets.
The Vice President also assured the Council that efforts would be intensified to address bottlenecks affecting agricultural exports, particularly challenges related to transportation logistics, port operations and compliance with international standards.
He urged state governments to work closely with the Federal Government to resolve these issues and position Nigerian products for greater competitiveness in global markets.
The NEC meeting underscored the government’s commitment to disaster preparedness, economic transformation and expanding opportunities for Nigerian producers in the international marketplace.
