Tinubu Is Repositioning Nigeria, Says Shettima

Tinubu Is Repositioning Nigeria, Says Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima says that the policies initiated by President Bola Tinubu aim at repositioning the country for the greater good of all Nigerians.

Shettima said this on Friday during the graduation ceremony of the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 46 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos.

The vice president described the study theme of the course “Digital Economy, Youth Empowerment and Sustainable Job Creation in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities” as timely.

He noted that the president was committed to creating jobs and tackling poverty among Nigerians, particularly young people, leveraging digital technology.

“We are going nowhere unless we are well positioned to utilise technology in our daily lives and guide our industries toward the demands of this new wave of industrial revolution.

“This is why we have taken bold steps to reposition Nigeria’s digital economy; we have prioritised broadband expansion and digital infrastructure development.

“We have also invested in technology-driven entrepreneurship through strategic initiatives such as the Digital Economy Policy and Strategy and the National Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Policy.

“These align with our aspiration to make Nigeria a leading digital economy and a global player in the innovation ecosystem,” he said.

The vice president further said that the Tinubu administration had initiated policies to visit agriculture, technical education, skill acquisition, among others, aimed at making Nigeria better.

“Beyond the digital economy, we are implementing policies to enhance vocational and technical education, boost agriculture, and stimulate manufacturing through targeted support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

“Through initiatives like the Renewed Hope Skills Acquisition Programme, we are equipping young Nigerians with practical skills in technology, construction, and the creative industries.

“In agriculture, the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) are fostering value-added production, while the Presidential Palliative Programme for SMEs is providing grants and low-interest loans to small businesses.

“Our focus is on empowering young Nigerians with the skills and resources necessary to thrive in the modern job market, ensuring that economic growth translates into real opportunities for all,” Shettima said.

Shettima, who congratulated the graduands, urged them to put the knowledge and experience gathered during their studies at NIPSS toward the growth and development of Nigeria.

The vice president, who extolled NIPSS for its contribution toward nation building through policy formulation, promised improved support and adequate funding to make it function optimally.

Earlier, Prof Ayo Omotayo, the Director General of the institute, said that the graduands, 97 in number, were drawn from different sections of the society.

Omotayo, who commended the graduands for their dedication and commitment during their studies, said that they had visited seven states in Nigeria and five countries in Africa.

“NIPSS, since its inception in 1979, has been in the forefront of research and policy formulation for nation building.

“Our research output is aimed at strengthening good governance and placing Nigeria as one of the leading players in the global economic landscape.

“The reports of the graduands emphasised the importance of expanding digital infrastructure reforming and education systems to align with global technological trends to create sustainable employment opportunities,” he said.

Omotayo thanked the president for supporting the institute to continually develop policies that would move Nigeria forward.

The director general called on the graduands to be good ambassadors of the institute by contributing to nation building.