Hardship will soon be over —VP Shettima assures Nigerians

Vice President Kashim Ibrahim Shettima has assured Nigerians that the current economic hardship will soon ease, as the nation transitions into a new phase of growth and prosperity.

Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja at the Nigeria Renewable Energy Innovation Forum (NREIF), Shettima said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu empathizes deeply with the challenges citizens are facing.

“The president’s heart goes out to the pains that Nigerians are experiencing. But be reassured we have crossed the Rubicon and are now on a path toward sustainable growth and shared prosperity,” he said.

The event, organised by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), aimed to attract investments in local renewable energy production.

Shettima described the forum as a key step toward positioning Nigeria as Africa’s hub for renewable energy manufacturing, noting that the country’s energy transition offers an investment opportunity of over $410 billion between now and 2060.

“Of this, more than ₦23 billion is needed to expand energy access and connect millions of Nigerians still living in energy poverty,” he explained. “But beyond access lies our larger ambition to deliver a power system with a total installed capacity of 277 gigawatts by 2060.

Achieving this requires not just investment, but also innovation, local capacity, and commitment.”

Highlighting the theme of the forum, “Implementing the Nigeria First Policy: Facilitating Local Content Development and Manufacturing in the Renewable Energy Ecosystem,” Shettima said it aligns with the government’s drive to strengthen domestic industrial capacity.

According to him, more than $400 million in new investment commitments have already been secured within Nigeria’s renewable energy value chain.

These include facilities for solar panels, smart meters, battery storage, and recycling, expected to create over 1,500 direct jobs across several states.

“These investments reflect growing global confidence in Nigeria’s clean energy industrialisation agenda,” Shettima noted. “Our goal is to ensure that the outcomes of this forum translate into real impact factories, jobs, electrified schools, thriving rural enterprises, and resilient communities powered by clean energy.”

Also speaking at the event, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu emphasized that the NREIF 2025 represents more than just another forum it is a bold declaration of Nigeria’s readiness to lead Africa’s renewable energy revolution.

“The theme, Implementing the Nigeria First Policy, goes beyond manufacturing it embodies our commitment to national pride, industrial competence, and long-term economic sustainability,” Adelabu said.

“We are determined to ensure that the next generation of clean energy technologies deployed across Nigeria from solar panels to battery storage systems proudly carry the label ‘Made in Nigeria.’”