National Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has said Nigeria has the human and natural resources to become a prosperous and globally competitive nation, stressing that competent, accountable and compassionate leadership remains the key to unlocking the country’s potential.
Obi spoke at a high-level roundtable organised by the European Council on Foreign Relations, ECFR, in Berlin, Germany, where discussions focused on “Nigeria in 2027 and Beyond.”
In a statement, Obi said the dialogue brought together policymakers, diplomats, development experts, business leaders, representatives of international organisations and members of the global media to examine Nigeria’s democratic future and its place in an increasingly interconnected world.
According to him, discussions centred on Nigeria’s democratic journey beyond the 2027 general elections, development cooperation, international affairs and strategies for strengthening bilateral partnerships capable of accelerating economic growth and improving the welfare of Nigerians.
Obi said participants also explored ways of expanding support for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, SMEs, which he described as the backbone of productive economies.
“A key focus of the engagement was how Nigeria can deepen collaboration with international partners to support Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), recognising that they remain the backbone of every productive economy and are indispensable to job creation, innovation, wealth creation and sustainable national development,” he said.
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The former Anambra State governor said the discussions also covered the need to strengthen democratic institutions, promote trade and investment, improve governance, enhance regional stability and create an enabling environment that would inspire confidence among citizens and investors.
He expressed appreciation for what he described as the strong international interest in Nigeria’s future, noting that the participation of senior officials of the German Federal Government, development agencies, business associations, policy institutes, foundations, international organisations and global media reflected the country’s strategic importance.
Obi reiterated that Nigeria’s future depends largely on leadership that prioritises investment in education, healthcare, productive enterprises, the rule of law and strong institutions.
“Nigeria possesses all the human and natural resources required to become a prosperous, secure and globally competitive nation. What is required is competent, accountable and compassionate leadership that prioritises investment in people, education, healthcare, productive enterprise, the rule of law and strong institutions over politics of consumption,” he said.
He further maintained that Nigeria could achieve sustainable prosperity through good governance, fiscal discipline and stronger international partnerships.
“Nigeria’s future is bright, but only if we make the deliberate choices that will move our country from consumption to production, from poverty to prosperity and from division to unity,” Obi added.
He thanked the European Council on Foreign Relations for the invitation and described the roundtable as an important platform for strengthening international cooperation and fostering partnerships for the benefit of Nigeria, Africa and the global community.
