Nigeria intensified its campaign to attract investment and deepen regional economic cooperation during high-level engagements at the Africa CEO Forum, according to comments by Minister of Finance representative and fiscal policy expert, Taiwo Oyedele.
Speaking after meetings involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and African leaders, Oyedele described the Nigerian President as the country’s “chief marketer,” emphasizing his active role in promoting Nigeria’s economic potential on the global stage.
He said discussions at the forum centered largely on attracting investment into key sectors of the economy, particularly power, mining, infrastructure, and private enterprise development.
According to Oyedele, the engagements highlighted Nigeria’s untapped opportunities and reflected a renewed effort by the administration to present a more credible and investment-friendly image of the country.
“One very exciting thing about Mr President is that he is never tired of marketing Nigeria. He is the chief marketer for the country,” Oyedele said.
He noted that conversations with investors and stakeholders focused on how to mobilize greater investment into strategic sectors capable of driving economic growth and industrial expansion.
Among the projects discussed were investments in port development, solid minerals, and broader support for private sector businesses.
Oyedele added that President Tinubu’s track record and reform agenda were helping to strengthen confidence among investors.
“We were not telling our story as we should before now. By telling a credible story – and not just saying what we can do, Mr President has the credentials to demonstrate what he has done and his commitment to do even more going forward,” he stated.
Nigeria-Guinea Relations
Oyedele also spoke on bilateral talks between President Tinubu and the President of Guinea, describing the relationship between both leaders as cordial and strategic.
He said discussions explored opportunities for collaboration in regional development and the mining sector, especially around iron ore partnerships.
According to him, President Tinubu commended Guinea’s leadership for maintaining its relationship with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) despite political pressures.
“The meeting with the President of Guinea was more like big brother and younger brother. Both presidents were very happy with the engagement,” he said.
Reforms and Africa’s Economic Future
Addressing broader economic issues discussed at the Africa CEO Forum, Oyedele said Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms were increasingly being viewed as a model for the continent.
He acknowledged that the reforms had been difficult but argued they were necessary to reposition the economy for long-term gains.
“It wasn’t meant to be easy, but it was necessary. Now we are on that track towards winning and getting all the gains of those reforms,” he said.
He explained that conversations at the forum focused on three major themes: scale, speed, and credible institutions.
African leaders and business executives, he said, discussed the need for stronger continental cooperation, improved financing for development, and a shift from raw material extraction to value-added industrialization.
Oyedele stressed the importance of stimulating growth in labour-intensive sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, technology, and services to reduce poverty across the continent.
“The leaders in the room recognized that the time for rhetoric is over and it is now time for execution,” he said.
He concluded by describing the current period as an important moment not only for Nigeria, but for Africa as a whole, saying public officials now have an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the continent’s economic transformation.