Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday commissioned Nigeria’s first-ever sovereign pavilion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, describing the initiative as a clear statement of the country’s renewed seriousness, readiness and resolve to actively shape global economic conversations.
The opening of the house took place as Donald Trump plans to meet global business leaders, also in Davos.
Speaking at the formal opening of Nigeria House at WEF 2026, Shettima said nations would not prosper in isolation, stressing that Nigeria’s future growth depended on deliberate, structured engagement with the global economy.
While noting that the pavilion was conceived as a whole-of-government platform led by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, with senior leadership across investment, foreign affairs, energy, infrastructure, technology, climate and culture, Shettima emphasised that its true vitality must come from the private sector.
“Government can open doors, create frameworks and de-risk environments; only enterprise can animate growth, scale opportunity and translate policy into productivity,” he said, stressing: “This House will thrive to the extent that it draws life from private capital, private innovation and private confidence.”
The Vice President said the timing of Nigeria’s House coincided with early dividends of the reforms of the administration of Bola Tinubu, noting that Nigeria’s economy expanded by about 3.9 per cent in 2025, the fastest pace in over a decade, driven largely by a resilient non-oil sector that now accounts for roughly 96 per cent of GDP.
According to him, services, agriculture, finance, and technology are expanding; non-oil revenues now contribute nearly three-quarters of government collections; inflation has eased from above 30 per cent in late 2024; and foreign reserves have climbed above $45 billion amid improved stability in the foreign exchange market.
Inviting the global business community to leverage the platform, Shettima said: “Nigeria is open for business, but more importantly, Nigeria is open for collaboration. We are here to learn as much as we are here to share opportunities. Progress is not a monologue; it is a dialogue.”
Earlier, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, applauded the Vice President’s support for the realisation of Nigeria House, describing the project as a strong public-private partnership that showcases renewed national confidence and a shift in how Nigeria engages the international business community.
On Trump’s meeting in Davos, sources familiar with the matter said the U.S. President’s presence looms large over the yearly gathering of the global elite in Switzerland.
Business leaders, including CEOs in financial services, crypto and consulting, were invited to a reception after Trump’s address to the World Economic Forum’s yearly meeting, the sources told Reuters yesterday. The agenda was unclear.