Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said Imagine Nigeria, an initiative of the Federal Government implemented in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will exploit great possibilities for the country.
The Imagine Nigeria report explores alternative futures for Nigeria to kickstart a conversation around national transformation.
A high-level panel and supported by a steering committee with members such as Osinbajo; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed; Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria, Ibrahim Gambari and Minister of State for Budget and National Planning of Nigeria, Clem Agba, among others discussed about the country and its challenges.
Speaking at the official launch of the report virtually in Abuja on Wednesday, the Vice President said the project provided the license to imagine a Nigeria freed of its past and current challenges.
According to the Vice President who represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the launch, “it is a process of reflection and discussion by all Nigerians, especially young Nigerians on what the future of our country should look like. Imagine Nigeria hopes to stimulate interest and attention around issues of innovation, green economy, trust, leadership and framing a more positive national narrative.”
The initiative is “a bold, unblinkered, exploration of the great possibilities of our nation,” he observed.
Prof. Osinbajo added that “perhaps one of the silver linings in the dark clouds of COVID-19 was the opportunity it gave us to reflect on a future for our nation and world, seeing how massive public health and economic challenges could so easily upend global dynamics. For Nigeria, the context is even more nuanced.
“There is the imminence of a zero-oil scenario, a large youth population in search of opportunities, the urgent imperatives of climate change, threats to the peace, stability and unity of the country. But on the other end of the scale are the evident opportunities. The possibilities of a demographic dividend, being the largest economy in Africa, having perhaps the fastest growing economies in entertainment and technology in Africa; and the list goes on.”
The Vice President then spoke on the content of the work done by the Imagine Nigeria project team, noting that “the report itself identifies five pillars as the basis for building forward and transformation. These are ambitiously described as the five pillars of change: Build a Culture of Innovation; Catalyze a Green Economy; Build trust; Facilitate a National Narrative; and Lead Africa.”
“The pillars of change and the entire report are only the beginning of the imagining process. The pillars provide some of the big ideas around which we hope the dialogues and conversations will develop. From here on it will now be up to us all – civil society groups, public and private sector think-tanks, professional and vocational associations, socio-cultural and political groups, to open up dialogues and conversations,” Prof. Osinbajo stated.
Mohamed Yahya, Resident Representative, UNDP Nigeria, said Nigeria’s reimagination is critical not only for the country but also for the African continent and the world at large.
He said: “Imagine Nigeria is about creating a shift for a new African agenda and development narrative. It calls on Nigeria to facilitate new forms of collaboration for the country and Africa so that the continent can take its well-deserved seat in the global arena while also providing a basis for the country’s transformation.
“A key recommendation from the series of conversations so far is the urgent need for structural transformation, economic diversification, and wealth creation.”
Over 300 Nigerians in the country and the diaspora participated in an independent consultative review of progress and exploration of ideas captured in the report.
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