Shettima: ‘No country can prosper in isolation’ as VP highlights diaspora contributions and benefits of global migration
Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the multilateral trading system, with Vice President Kashim Shettima declaring that no country can achieve sustainable prosperity by isolating itself from the global community.
Shettima made the declaration on Saturday during a meeting with the Director-General of the WTO, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on the sidelines of the ongoing BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, India.
The Vice President said Nigeria would continue to support the WTO in strengthening multilateralism and promoting an international system founded on cooperation and shared prosperity.
“I believe the world is greater than one nation. We will continue to support the WTO in championing the cause of multilateralism. We are essentially one human family and interconnected. You cannot divorce yourself from the global community,” Shettima said.
He also described migration as an important driver of development, innovation and economic growth, arguing that immigrants have historically played significant roles in building nations and cities around the world.
“Nations are built by immigrants. Even cities are built by people who came from outside, not just by the locals. That goes to show that we have so much to gain from global migration,” he said.
The Vice President cited the achievements of Nigerians living abroad as evidence of the positive contributions of migration to global development.
According to him, Nigerians in the diaspora have continued to distinguish themselves through education, entrepreneurship and professional excellence.
Shettima referenced a recent Pew Research Center analysis of 2024 US Census Bureau data, which found that 67 per cent of Nigerian-born Black immigrants aged 25 and above in the United States had at least a bachelor’s degree—the highest proportion among the major Black immigrant groups examined.
He said the achievement reflected the strength and potential of Nigerians globally.
The Vice President also commended Okonjo-Iweala for her leadership of the WTO, urging her to continue using her experience and influence to advance global development.
“You are doing a very wonderful job at the WTO, but you still have a lot to contribute to humanity,” he told the WTO Director-General.
Okonjo-Iweala, who is the first woman and first African to head the WTO, began her second four-year term as Director-General in September 2025.
Meanwhile, Shettima is expected to present Nigeria’s partnership priorities and foreign investment opportunities to leaders of the BRICS alliance on Sunday.
The summit is being held under the theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
The Vice President is expected to use the platform to advocate for a more inclusive international order while highlighting President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and its focus on creating sustainable opportunities for Nigerians.
He will also highlight ongoing reforms, infrastructure expansion and efforts to promote private-sector-led economic growth as key components of Nigeria’s development strategy.
The meeting with the WTO chief and Nigeria’s engagement at the BRICS summit form part of the country’s broader diplomatic and economic efforts to strengthen international cooperation, attract investment and advance its interests in the global economy.