Vice-President Kashim Shettima has defended President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, insisting that the administration deserves commendation rather than criticism for policies aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s economy.
Speaking on Monday at the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit in Asaba, Shettima said the Tinubu administration inherited a struggling economy but had since recorded significant progress, particularly in attracting investment and boosting the country’s foreign reserves.
According to the vice-president, Nigeria has moved from a period of capital scarcity to one of increasing capital inflows, with foreign reserves rising to more than $52 billion despite global economic uncertainties.
“Professor Soludo, you have done a lot of things for the Federal Government, especially in informing Nigerians where we were coming from—from reserves of $3 billion,” Shettima said.
“When we were experiencing capital plight and scarcity, now we are experiencing capital inflows. Our foreign reserves have gone up to over $52 billion and counting in a turbulent world. Even the president deserves commendation and not condemnation.”
Shettima also commended Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, for backing the administration’s economic reforms, recalling that the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria took what he described as an unpopular stance during the 2023 election campaign.
According to the vice-president, Soludo had “defied the direction of the wind” by maintaining that the presidential election would not be won through “blackmail and intimidation” but through “grassroots support.”
Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to economic growth, Shettima assured local and foreign investors that the Tinubu administration would continue collaborating with state governments to remove barriers to investment and create a more business-friendly environment across the country.
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