Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged local and international investors to seize emerging opportunities in Nigeria’s economy, declaring that the country’s ongoing economic reforms have created an investment window that may not remain open for long.
Speaking on Monday at the opening of the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit 2026 in Asaba, Shettima said the policy reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration were restoring macroeconomic stability, rebuilding investor confidence and positioning Nigeria as a more attractive destination for long-term capital.
“The best time to invest is now before the opportunity becomes expensive,” the Vice President said, pointing to recent sovereign rating upgrades by Fitch Ratings, S&P Global Ratings, and Moody’s as evidence that international confidence in Nigeria’s economy is gradually improving.
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He said every Nigerian state possesses distinct competitive advantages capable of driving economic growth if properly harnessed.
“Every state possesses immense promise with its unique history, geography, people and comparative advantage. This is the race we must welcome, a race in which states compete to create employment, prosperity and human dignity,” Shettima said.
According to him, recent fiscal reforms have also increased allocations to state governments, giving sub-national administrations greater capacity to finance ambitious development programmes and attract private investment.
Delta unveils $100m investment fund
Describing Delta as a “first-order investment destination,” the Vice President said the state’s economic prospects extend far beyond crude oil production.
He highlighted Delta’s strategic coastline, seaports, natural gas reserves, refining infrastructure, agricultural potential, blue economy opportunities and solid mineral deposits as assets capable of transforming it into one of Nigeria’s leading industrial and commercial centres.
Shettima also praised Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for convening the investment summit, assuring prospective investors that the Federal Government would continue collaborating with state governments to remove obstacles to business and create an enabling environment for enterprise.
“We are co-travellers on the road from promise to production, from allocation to transformation, and from potential to prosperity,” he added.
Earlier, Governor Oborevwori announced a $100 million Viability Gap Funding initiative designed to de-risk strategic private sector investments and convert investment commitments into bankable projects.
He said the intervention would accelerate industrialisation, deepen economic diversification and create sustainable jobs across the state.
The governor disclosed that the summit followed investment promotion missions to China and Brazil undertaken by the state government in 2025 to attract strategic global partnerships.
He added that Delta’s economy is estimated at about ₦17 trillion, making it one of Nigeria’s leading investment destinations, supported by abundant natural resources, improving infrastructure, prudent fiscal management and investor-friendly policies.
