President Bola Tinubu on Thursday highlighted the potential of investing in Nigeria’s dynamic youth population as a means to curb irregular migration to Europe.
Speaking at a meeting with Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands at his official residence in The Hague, Tinubu emphasized the immense opportunities that Nigeria offers across various sectors, including its high-grade lithium deposits, which position the country well to power the clean energy future of the world.
“We have an extremely dynamic youth population in Nigeria. It is a young country. 70% of our people are under the age of 30, and when we are referring to 200 million plus citizens, it represents both a massive workforce and a massive market for Dutch and other international investors,” Tinubu stated.
He further explained, “If our young people know they can achieve a good future in Nigeria, they will stay home and build our nation to greatness. Lawful migration of trained Nigerian minds and hands will be a benefit to Europe, and irregular migration will no longer be a source of fear in Europe if we partner effectively.”
Tinubu highlighted his administration’s efforts to enhance the investment climate through deepening reforms, seeking robust, balanced, and mutually beneficial partnerships that will spur value-addition in areas like solid minerals.
“This is what we want and it is why we are adamant about providing student loans and new credit opportunities to not only enhance the skills of our people but also to ensure that they can access a higher quality of life within their legitimate incomes,” he added. “We will transform our economy, and our young people will be the reason why.”
Responding to Tinubu’s remarks, Rutte acknowledged the greater confidence in the Nigerian economy among international investors, thanks to the economic reforms undertaken by the Tinubu administration.
He revealed that Dutch investors have recently activated another set of $250 million worth of new investments over the next few months, including a $100 million investment in a waste-to-wealth industrial facility in Lagos state.
Leave a comment
