Vice President Kashim Shettima has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to deepening support for local production.
Shettima, who was represented by the Special Adviser on Special Duties, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, spoke yesterday in Abuja at the Made-in-Naija Trade Exhibition organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Commerce.
The Vice President said Nigeria’s economic identity and global relevance would be defined by what it creates.
He said Nigeria’s future depends on the creativity, ingenuity, and enterprise of its people.
“There is nothing that advertises the pride of a nation as much as the craft, creativity and conceptions of its people,” Shettima said. “They do more than signal the capability of the people. They serve as a fertiliser of the economy. They nourish every sector and give life to dreams yet to be imagined,” he said.
According to him, the gathering was more than an exhibition but a statement of intent.
“This is both the assurance of our readiness to make Nigerian brands appeal to the world and a promise of the government’s commitment to work with you through this journey of transformation,” Shettima said.
The Vice President stressed that the country’s wealth does not lie in oil fields, fertile land, or mineral deposits, but in what Nigerians are able to turn those resources into.
“Our fortune is what we make of these resources, the ambition that turns potential into prosperity. It rests on the shoulders of our most valuable asset, our human capital,” he said.
Shettima stressed that Nigeria’s brilliance has been demonstrated in multiple sectors – from agro-processing to architecture, textiles to technology, and manufacturing to music.
But the Vice President warned that creativity is not enough if Nigerians fail to support what they produce.
“It is not enough for us to produce. We must patronize what we produce. Every time we choose a product manufactured here, we are making an investment, in a Nigerian entrepreneur, an artisan, a factory worker, a young graduate building a future.”
According to him, buying Nigerian strengthens the naira, supports jobs, reduces dependence on global supply chains, and nurtures a sustainable middle class.
Shettima noted that the target goes beyond self-reliance.
“Made in Nigeria must become synonymous with quality, innovation and competitiveness on the global stage. We have the resources, we have the creativity, we have the human capital. What remains is our resolve,” he added.
The Vice President said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu considers local creators and producers as essential partners in national renewal, describing his administration as “a dreamland for those who create”.
He outlined ongoing government efforts to make Nigeria a manufacturing and innovation hub, including interventions built to remove barriers and expand market opportunities for MSMEs and local industries.
“Our administration is committed to providing the infrastructure, stable policies and essential finance needed for our local industries to scale up, meet international standards, and proudly export Nigerian excellence to the world,” Shettima said.
He said the government was establishing special economic zones, expanding access to financing, reforming ports, and ensuring certification systems meet global benchmarks.
“With the world’s highest quality, we want the answer to be Nigeria,” Shettima said.
The Vice President described the Made-in-Naija exhibition as a symbolic declaration of confidence in Nigerian talent, and a refusal to let others define the country’s global identity.
“Nigeria is not a country waiting to be defined by others. We are determined to define ourselves. If we remain steadfast, producers and consumers, government and industry, artisans and policymakers, we will build a Nigeria where Made in Nigeria is not a sentimental choice, but a global reference,” he stressed.
