Nigeria’s Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, has called on Nigerians living in the United States to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and its Renewed Hope Agenda.
Mr Shettima made the appeal on Wednesday during an interactive session with members of the Nigerian diaspora at Nigeria House in New York.
The vice-president said the government was working to reposition the Nigerian economy, particularly in education, healthcare, science and technology, and agriculture.
He described Nigerians in the diaspora as a major source of knowledge, expertise and human capital, saying their contributions could help unlock the country’s potential.
“Citizens of our country have the capacity and intellect to harness our nation’s potentials and take it to greater heights,” Mr Shettima said.
He also highlighted what he described as gains from the administration’s economic reforms, including an increase in foreign reserves and recent economic growth.
Mr Shettima said improvements in foreign reserves and the exchange rate would help protect diaspora remittances and create greater confidence for Nigerians living abroad who wish to invest in the country.
He urged Nigerians to look beyond negative reports on social media and said Nigeria remained open to business and investment.
The vice-president also pointed to the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, saying more than 1.29 million students in tertiary institutions had benefited from N125bn since the scheme began.
On security, Mr Shettima acknowledged the challenges facing the country and said the government was deploying available resources to address emerging threats.
He called for national unity, saying Nigerians should focus on what unites them rather than their differences.
Mr Shettima is in New York as part of Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
