President Bola Ahmed Tinubu says Nigeria welcomes partnerships with nations that do not mind seeing the country and Africa assume larger roles in the global community.
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The Nigerian President said this while delivering his first speech at the ongoing United Nations General Assembly debates in New York.
President Tinubu said the question is not whether Nigeria is open for business but how much of the world is truly open to doing business with Nigeria and Africa in an equal, mutually beneficial manner.
He said that Nigeria and Africa seek an equally firm commitment to partnership as well as enhanced international cooperation with African nations to achieve the 2030 agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.
“If Nigeria is to fulfil its duty to its people and the rest of Africa, we must create jobs and the belief in a better future for our people.
“To foster economic growth and investor confidence in Nigeria, I removed the costly and corrupt fuel subsidy while also discarding a noxious exchange rate system in my first days in office. Other growth and job-oriented reforms are in the wings.
“I am mindful of the transient hardship that reform can cause. However, it is necessary to go through this phase in order to establish a foundation for durable growth and investment to build the economy our people deserve.
Direct investment in critical industries, opening their ports to a wider range and larger quantity of African exports and meaningful debt relief are important aspects of the cooperation we seek.
“First, if this year’s theme is to have any impact at all, global institutions, other nations and their private sector actors must see African development as a priority, not just for Africa but in their interests as well” The Nigerian President added.
The theme of 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly is , Rebuilding trust and Reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating Action on the 2030 Agenda and its sustainable development goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all,” for a mutually beneficial relationship with Africa.
