FG must address Nigerians’ concerns on reforms — Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged the Federal Government to pay greater attention to Nigerians’ concerns about ongoing economic reforms, insisting that public confidence must be built through transparent communication, credible evidence of progress and responsiveness to citizens’ experiences.

Shettima made the call on Thursday at The Duke’s Masterclass 2026, held at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, where he was represented by his Special Adviser on Economic Affairs, Dr Tope Fasua.

The Vice President said the success of the administration’s economic policies would depend not only on their implementation but also on the government’s ability to demonstrate tangible results and address the challenges confronting citizens.

“Government must continue to communicate, however, its policies clearly, demonstrate progress with credible evidence, and listen attentively to the experiences of citizens,” he said.

Shettima defended the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu, including petrol subsidy removal, foreign exchange market liberalisation, fiscal restructuring and revenue mobilisation, describing them as measures intended to correct longstanding economic distortions and strengthen Nigeria’s productive capacity.

He explained that the policies were designed to attract investment, improve business confidence, enhance the deployment of public resources and establish conditions for sustainable economic growth.

However, he maintained that announcing policies was insufficient without building public understanding and confidence in their implementation.

The Vice President particularly challenged Nigeria’s elite, professionals and middle class to acknowledge the difficulties facing ordinary citizens while explaining the objectives of the reforms.

“Your role is not to defend every government action uncritically, nor to dismiss the concerns of citizens. It is to help create a more informed and constructive national conversation,” he stated.

He urged professionals engaging traders to recognise the pressures confronting businesses and advised those interacting with young graduates to acknowledge employment challenges while encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation.

According to him, constructive criticism and informed public participation are essential to effective governance and the sustainability of economic policies.

“Constructive scrutiny strengthens governance. Informed public participation strengthens democracy,” Shettima said.

He further stressed that leadership required the flexibility to adjust policy implementation in response to evidence and changing economic circumstances without abandoning established objectives.

Turning to the challenges of artificial intelligence and social media, the Vice President warned that technological advances were increasing the speed and sophistication of misinformation, posing risks to public confidence and institutional reputations.

“A photograph can be manipulated, a voice can be cloned, and a video can be fabricated just with a simple prompt on social media to make an individual appear to have said or done something that never happened,” he warned.

Shettima urged public institutions to strengthen information verification, correct false claims transparently and communicate through trusted channels, adding that speed should never take precedence over accuracy.

He also called for improved digital literacy and responsible use of artificial intelligence.

On economic opportunities, Shettima identified banking, financial technology, oil and gas, agriculture, real estate, construction, commodity exports and the creative industry as sectors capable of supporting investment and employment.

He nevertheless acknowledged the need to address unreliable electricity, inefficient transportation, insecurity, limited access to finance and weaknesses in education and public institutions.

He called for stronger domestic production, export expansion and support for small businesses, while urging that economic opportunities be extended to women, young people and rural communities.

In his opening address, the Chairman of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Bimbo Ashiru, warned that poor leadership decisions and inadequate crisis preparedness could destroy institutional credibility.

“Reputation cannot be manufactured at the point of crisis. It is built over time through our decisions, our conduct, our values and the consistency between what we say and what we do,” he said.

Ashiru noted that geopolitical tensions, technological changes and economic disruptions were making leadership increasingly difficult, requiring organisations to strengthen accountability, transparency and crisis management.

He disclosed plans to extend the masterclass to London in March 2027.

Also speaking, former Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku recounted his involvement in international conflict resolution, particularly negotiations surrounding South Africa’s transition from apartheid and political tensions in Bangladesh.

He stressed that successful mediation required a thorough understanding of the issues dividing opposing parties, the interests of their leaders and the appropriate timing of public communication.

“Because if you communicate the progress prematurely, you might sabotage the whole process,” Anyaoku said.

The Chairman of AXA Mansard and Group Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, Kola Adesina, criticised Nigeria’s persistent electricity challenges, arguing that public institutions and businesses should be judged by service delivery rather than explanations for poor performance.

“Rather than giving people megawatts of electricity, we are giving them excuses,” he said.

Adesina also condemned corruption, inflated public contracts and failures of accountability, warning that such practices weakened infrastructure, damaged public trust and endangered lives.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Duke of Shomolu Foundation, Joseph Edgar, explained that the masterclass was designed to equip organisations and individuals with practical strategies for anticipating crises, managing their consequences and protecting institutional reputations.

He said the initiative complemented the foundation’s use of theatre to promote social cohesion and strengthen public engagement.