Vice President Kashim Shettima on Friday said Nigeria is primed to anchor a new era of intra-African trade and investment, leveraging its market size, economic weight, and innovation capacity to drive the continent’s next commercial revolution.
The Vice President made this known at the High-Level Conference on Intra-African Trade, jointly organised by the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Woodhall Capital, Afreximbank, and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), at the State House, Abuja, ahead of a series of investment roadshows scheduled for London, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.
Represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Office of the Vice President, Senator Ibrahim Hadeija, Shettima commended Woodhall Capital for what he described as “an audacious mandate” to mobilise international funding for sovereign and sub-sovereign projects, calling it “an act of deep patriotic service that turns theoretical potential into bankable opportunities.
“For too long, the narrative of African trade has been dictated by what we extract and export to the Global North. Today, we must pivot and activate the vast untapped energy of intra-African trade”, he said.
While intra-continental trade in Europe and Asia stands at 65% and 60% respectively, Shettima lamented that Africa’s remains below 17%, urging African nations to embrace the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a springboard for shared prosperity.
According to him, Nigeria’s subnationals — not just the federal government — must take the lead in attracting global capital by presenting “structurally sound, de-risked, and market-aligned” projects.
“As a government, we recognise that to attract sustainable investment, we must build an environment anchored on predictable policy, institutional transparency, and public accountability. Capital follows confidence, and confidence follows governance”, he said.
The Vice President reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to stabilising the currency, rationalising subsidies, and deepening business reforms through PEBEC.
He urged Governors to seize emerging opportunities in agro-exports, regional power projects, and digital platforms, declaring “the capital is ready. The markets are ready. And the world is watching. This is our moment to redefine Nigeria’s place in Africa’s economic story — not as a participant, but as a leader.”
Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Kwara Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, reaffirmed that Nigerian states are ready to drive the continent’s next phase of growth.
Represented by Zamfara Governor, Dauda Lawal, AbdulRazaq said subnationals hold the key to unlocking Africa’s next wave of trade and economic expansion.
The Governor described the gathering as “a declaration that Nigerian states are open for business, already bankable and globally competitive.”
He highlighted the NGF Investopedia platform, launched earlier this year, which showcases hundreds of investment-ready projects across infrastructure, energy, agriculture, logistics, and the creative economy — all aligned with AfCFTA priorities.
“Our collective goal is to deepen collaboration, mobilise capital, and strengthen confidence in the subnational investment ecosystem,” he added, commending Afreximbank and Woodhall Capital for supporting the NGF through blended finance and advisory services.
AfSNET has convened investment conferences in Durban, Abuja, Cairo, and Kisumu, catalysing over $2 billion in trade and investment deals.
Mbongue also announced that Cross River State will host the next AfSNET Investment Forum in 2026.