Nigeria on ‘healing journey’ to $1 trillion economy by 2030 — Presidency

•Hosts African conference on borderless digital economy

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja

Technical Adviser to the President on Economic and Financial Inclusion (Office of the Vice President), Dr. Nurudeen Zauro, said at the weekend that Nigeria is on a “healing journey” and firmly on course to reclaim its leadership position in Africa by building a borderless and inclusive economy.

This is as Nigeria is set to host a major continental policy and technology engagement in 2026, as organisers of the RegTech Africa Conference and Expo (RACE 2026) have unveiled details of the event at a media parley, in Abuja.

The conference, which will be held under the patronage of the Office of the Vice President between May 20 and 22, 2026, with the theme “Building trust, infrastructure, inclusion and policy for a borderless economy”, is being organised in partnership with the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion and in collaboration with the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).

Fielding questions from journalists at a media parley on economic and financial inclusion, Dr. Zauro said President Bola Tinubu set a clear economic target from his first day in office.

“From day one, Mr President actually set a target,” he said. “He set a target of deepening Nigeria’s economic and financial sector to achieve a $1 trillion economy by the year 2030. In order for us to achieve that, we have to build trust, we have to build infrastructure, we have to ensure inclusion and, of course, bring in policies that promote partnership and collaboration. That is the definition of the borderless economy.”

Zauro argued that recent policy changes, though painful, are necessary to restore long-term economic health.
“I keep saying this: it takes a bold decision for a father who knows his child is sick to take him to the hospital, allow him to go through surgery and come out hale and hearty,” he said.

“Nigeria has passed through a lot of reforms and difficult times. We know economic pressure is a global thing, but at this time we are on a healing journey.”

According to him, key economic indicators “are changing” as investor confidence slowly returns. “Nigerian numbers are changing. Things are becoming better; the numbers are turning,” he said.

“Investors are coming. In this room, in this office, we have hosted so many people. Nigeria is on its trajectory to success, and I can assure you that the leadership Nigeria has always had in Africa is being reinforced.”
He stressed that the Tinubu administration is “intentional” about using the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to strengthen Nigeria’s regional leadership.

“In terms of leadership to take advantage of AfCFTA, we are really where the numbers are today, and they are out there,” he said. “The most important thing is the intentionality of the administration. Mr President and the Vice President have been all over the world canvassing for support, requesting collaboration and partnership.”

Zauro linked the current push on financial inclusion to a presidential directive. “That is even one of the reasons why we are seated in this room,” he explained.

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