A house without walls

1. WE cannot meaningfully market the opportunities that abound in our nation without first building a structure for engaging the world. Nations do not prosper in isolation. We are where we are today because we opened our doors to the world, and because we have so much to offer a global economy still in search of balance, growth, and shared prosperity. Equally, we have much to gain from those who wish to invest in Nigeria. That exchange can only be realised through deliberate communication and sustained interaction. It is therefore an honour to stand before you today to share the promise that this day represents.
2. This day is extraordinary in the history of our engagements at this beautiful meeting point of global political leadership, policy thinkers, and corporate enterprise. For the first time in our nation’s history, Nigeria stands at Davos with a sovereign pavilion of its own. Nigeria House is a response to the lapses of the past. It 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.
3. Nigeria House may have been conceived as a whole-of-government platform, led by the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, with senior leadership across investment, foreign affairs, energy, infrastructure, technology, climate, and culture gathered under one roof. But its true essence must come from 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. This House will thrive to the extent that it draws life from private capital, private innovation, and private confidence.
4. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the message of this House is simple and deliberate. We are replicating on the global stage what His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has delivered at home in repositioning Nigeria’s economy. We are here to engage the world from a position of strength, as one of the world’s largest emerging markets. Nigeria is a nation of over 236 million people today, with a median age of about 17 years. That demographic reality explains the revolutionary energy of our youth at the heart of Africa’s digital economy, and their dominance across technology, fintech, creative industries, and entrepreneurship. Our young people have proven, time and again, that they are not waiting for the future. They are building it.
5. As political leaders, we have taken difficult decisions to lay an enduring foundation for investors. Beyond exchange rate reform, fuel subsidy removal, fiscal restructuring, trade facilitation, investment law modernisation, and capital market strengthening, we have sent an unmistakable signal that Nigeria is serious about restoring credibility and improving market signals. These choices were not easy, but they were necessary. They were taken deliberately to rebuild confidence, stabilise the macroeconomic environment, and create stronger foundations for long-term capital.
6. Our decision to open up to the world more deliberately comes at a turning point in our economic journey. The dividends of the difficult but inevitable reforms of recent years are beginning to show. In 2025, Nigeria’s economy expanded by about 3.9 per cent, the fastest pace recorded in over a decade, driven largely by a resilient non-oil economy that now accounts for roughly 96 per cent of GDP. Services, agriculture, finance, and technology are expanding, while non-oil revenues now make up nearly three-quarters of government collections, marking a structural shift away from oil dependence. Inflation, which stood above 30 per cent in late 2024, eased significantly by the end of 2025, and external buffers have improved, with foreign reserves rising above 45 billion dollars and greater stability in the foreign exchange market.
7. These signals matter because they speak to stability, direction, and credibility. They reflect an economy regaining its bearings and preparing for deeper industrialisation. Stronger infrastructure, an expanded digital and services economy, scaled climate and energy investment, more competitive trade systems, and greater value creation across manufacturing, agribusiness, technology, creative industries, and export-oriented sectors are no longer aspirations. They are active priorities. Growth is projected to exceed 4 per cent over the coming years, positioning Nigeria for its strongest medium-term outlook in more than a decade.
8. But growth figures alone do not tell the full story. What we are building is an economy that works for investors because it works for its people. An economy anchored on productivity, resilience, and inclusion. An economy that rewards innovation, protects capital, and respects contracts. That is the Nigeria we are presenting to the world through this House.
9. We therefore seek to build stronger partnerships. Nigeria is open for business, but more importantly, Nigeria is open for collaboration. This space will host the conversations we must have to move forward. 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.
10. Let me assure you that while this House carries the name of our nation, it belongs to everyone who believes in Nigeria, everyone who invests in Nigeria, and everyone who has a stake in the future of our economy. This is your home in Davos, and we look forward to sharing with you the promise of a nation that is reforming, rising, and ready.
11. So, I welcome you warmly. May this House inspire the conversations we have come here to hold, and may it bridge the distance between the theories we adopt and the practices we must implement to deliver shared prosperity. Nigeria House is open. Nigeria is open. And the future we are building together begins here.
12. Thank you, and may God bless us all.

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