Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged state governments to document their assets, attract investment, grow tourism, and convert local potential into jobs and shared prosperity.
Shettima spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the Nigeria Sub-National Investment and Tourism Information Roundtable. The event featured the launch of the National Compendium titled “Nigeria: Documenting the Economic and Tourism Profiles of 36 States and the FCT.”
Represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr. Tope Fasua, Shettima called on state governments to unlock Nigeria’s economic potential.
He described the document as a vital national tool for investment promotion, economic planning, and tourism development, aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda by positioning states at the center of Nigeria’s growth strategy.
Shettima emphasized that Nigeria is not lacking in opportunities.
He stated, “Nigeria is rich in assets, talent, culture, enterprise, and natural endowments. What we must do is organize these assets, document them properly, present them credibly, and connect them to capital, markets, technology, and investors.”
He described the compendium as a national investment document, tourism guide, economic intelligence tool, and branding instrument to tell Nigeria’s story more effectively.
“For too long, our story has focused on challenges. Today, we tell a broader story of opportunity, resilience, creativity, and partnership,” he added.
Shettima highlighted that each state has unique economic advantages that can be developed into viable projects.
Some states excel in agriculture, minerals, gas, logistics, manufacturing, ICT, and tourism, while others boast major cultural and natural attractions.
He stressed that the real policy challenge is moving from identifying potential to building practical investment pipelines that create jobs.
“The challenge is how to convert potential into projects, projects into investments, investments into jobs, and jobs into shared prosperity,” he said.
Shettima assured that the Federal Government will continue providing policy direction, infrastructure support, and diplomatic engagement.
He emphasized that states are the primary drivers of inclusive growth because they control the spaces where investments happen and citizens experience development.
“The states are where land, agricultural clusters, tourism assets, young job seekers, and investors’ factories, farms, hotels, and businesses are located,” he explained.
He called on states to improve ease of doing business, secure communities, provide reliable data, identify advantages, and build responsive institutions to support enterprise.
Shettima added that Nigeria’s festivals, music, historic cities, natural attractions, and wildlife can attract global interest if properly mapped, developed, and marketed.
“Tourism assets don’t market themselves. They must be mapped, protected, developed, secured, and linked to private investment,” he said.
He praised the Nigerian Press Council, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Federal Ministry of Information, and other partners for their role in producing the compendium.
“To unify all 36 states and the FCT in one document is a statement of unity. Our diversity is our greatest economic and cultural asset,” he stated.
In his remarks, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, called the compendium a laudable initiative.
“This comes at a time of bold reforms across the country,” he said. He urged states to engage with the information in the document and see it as a “call to action” for development.
The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, noted that the roundtable is an opportunity for states to identify investment opportunities in hospitality.
She was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Abdulkarim Ibrahim.
NPC Executive Secretary Dr. Dili Ezughah pledged support for research and documentation.
He said the council would continue partnering with relevant agencies and the private sector to drive Nigeria’s economic transformation.
