Global Virtual Launch Of The #ImagineNigeria Report

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SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE OFFICIAL GLOBAL VIRTUAL LAUNCH OF THE IMAGINE NIGERIA REPORT; A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE IMPLEMENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP) ON THE 10TH OF AUGUST, 2022

 

PROTOCOLS

 

It is a great privilege to be here, first in my own personal capacity and to represent President Muhammadu Buhari, for the formal launch of the #ImagineNigeria Report.

 

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, and there are also the urgent imperatives of climate change, and 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. This was the setting for the commissioning of the #ImagineNigeria project; a bold, unblinkered, exploration of the great possibilities of our nation.

 

The project provided the licence to imagine a Nigeria freed of its past and current challenges and able to engage the future with the best possible tools in human and material capital.

 

A high-level panel of accomplished public and private sector individuals led by me, and a technical team were charged with guiding the conversations and reflections of an assortment of local and international development experts and thought leaders on a wide variety of issues. The ultimate objective was to answer the question: “what would it take to transform Nigeria?” And then detail those thoughts in a report.

 

The very intentional involvement of the young people in the imagining process was a critical part of the entire concept. The panel, I am told, was particularly sensitive to the notion that those to whom the future belonged have a greater stake than any other generation in conceptualizing that future. This particular segment of the imagining exercise took over 9 months and has produced the report we will present shortly.

 

The report itself identifies five pillars as the basis for building forward and transformation. These are ambitiously described as the five pillars of change:

  1. Build a Culture of Innovation
  2. Catalyze a Green Economy
  3. Build Trust
  4. Facilitate a National Narrative and
  5. Lead Africa.

 

The pillars of change and the entire report are only the beginning of the imagining process. The pillars provide 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, and socio-cultural and political groups to open up dialogues and conversations.

 

Two issues before I end; the first is to point out that the #ImagineNigeria project is not/or the National Development Plan.

 

The National Development Plan undertook a holistic review of sectoral performance across the entire economy in the recent past and goes on to list specific objectives, actions and targets for implementation alongside resource requirements.

 

#ImagineNigeria process on the other hand is a process of reflection and discussion by all Nigerians, especially young Nigerians on what the future of our country should look like.

 

#ImagineNigeria hopes to stimulate interest and attention around issues of the five pillars; innovation, green economy, trust, leadership and framing of a more positive national narrative. It certainly does not speak to expected activities, targets, timelines and resources which are the staple of national development planning.

 

The second is to commend our collaborators in this enterprise, the UNDP, especially Mr. Mohammed Yahaya, UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, for working with us in conceiving the idea of an imagining project and for supporting it all the way.

 

Also, the eight distinguished Nigerians who served on the High-Level Panel also deserve our commendation, they are Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Dr Shamsudeen Usman, Senator Udo Udoma, Dr Myma Bello-Osagie, Dr Zainab Usman, Mr. Mohammed Yahaya, Prince Clem Agba, Mrs. Adiba Ighodaro, Mr. Tonye Cole. They were assisted by a steering committee consisting of Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, Mr. Simon Ridley of the UNDP and Mr. Tunji Lardener and a technical team of young, accomplished Nigerians, led by Gbenga Adesida and coordinated by Lanre Shasore.

 

This has been an incredibly effective collaborative effort, and I commend you all.

 

It is now my special pleasure and privilege on behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to formally launch the #ImagineNigeria Report.

 

Thank you all very much.

 

 



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