BERLIN, Germany — Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has called for stronger international partnerships and a renewed focus on productive economic policies, saying Nigeria’s future depends on competent leadership, robust institutions and sustained investment in its people.
Obi made the remarks after participating in a high-level roundtable titled “Nigeria in 2027 and Beyond”, organised by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) in Berlin.
“The forum brought together policymakers, diplomats, development experts, business leaders, representatives of international organisations and members of the global media to deliberate on Nigeria’s democratic future, development priorities and role in the international community.
“Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral partnerships capable of accelerating economic growth, particularly through support for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), which Peter Obi described as the backbone of every productive economy.
Obi noted that participants also examined ways to deepen trade and investment, strengthen democratic institutions, improve governance and enhance regional stability while creating an enabling environment that would boost investor confidence and improve the welfare of Nigerians.
He expressed appreciation for what he described as the strong interest shown by participants in Nigeria’s future, noting that the attendance of senior representatives of the German Federal Government, development agencies, business associations, policy institutes, foundations and international organisations reflected the country’s strategic importance on the global stage.
Reiterating his vision for Nigeria, Obi said the country possesses abundant human and natural resources to become prosperous, secure and globally competitive, but requires accountable, competent and compassionate leadership.
He stressed that national development must be driven by investments in education, healthcare, productive enterprises, the rule of law and strong institutions rather than what he described as “politics of consumption.”
The NDC presidential candidate maintained that Nigeria could move from “consumption to production, from poverty to prosperity, and from division to unity” by embracing good governance, fiscal discipline and productive engagement with international partners.
Obi thanked the European Council on Foreign Relations for hosting the event and described the discussions as important for strengthening international cooperation and building lasting partnerships that would benefit Nigeria, Africa and the wider global community.
