A group known as ‘Nigeria First’, said contrary to the campaign against the country by cynics, there is a brighter future for Nigeria which has the biggest economy in Africa with a GDP of $514 billion that rose by 3.46 percent from 2.54 in the third quarter of 2023.
Nigeria First, is a citizen-driven civic initiative aimed at motivating young Nigerians not to lost hope in the viability of their country by deploying bottom-up approach by engaging the youth to have a change of mindset about Nigeria.
The project coordinator, Hamza Umar Saulawa and its director of Research and Documentation, Bishir Dauda Sabuwar, stated this in their remarks at the flag-off of the project in Abuja.
According to them, the Nigeria First Project said the initiative is conceptualised to say “enough is enough to internal and external forces that are busy undermining the country, overheating the body polity, misrepresenting Nigeria and everything about Nigeria.
“We true believers in Nigerian project, the most populous black nation on earth, the giant of Africa with immense potential in men and material are fed up with the smear campaign against our country.
“We say No to those who mislead millions of our compatriots into believing that there is nothing good about Nigeria.
“Nigeria is the tenth oil producing country in the world. With proven reserves of 37 billion barrels, Bonny Light which is the best and sought after all over the world.
“Nigeria has over 84 million hectares of arable land with competitive advantage in producing cotton,palm oil, Sorghum,Cassava etc. We are blessed with 44 minerals that are exportable. Nigeria has a healthy, young and vibrant population with age median of 18.6 years,” they said.
The group insisted that with patience and consistent reform implementation, Nigeria would realise its objective of attaining $1 trillion economy by 2026.
They said the present government of President Bola Tinubu had campaigned vigorously during the last general elections, promising to end a corrupt-ridden fuel subsidy regime and on May 29, he took the initial painful but necessary step by announcing end to an untransparent system.
“Consequently, our fuel imports have now reduced by 50 per cent. Although the subsidy removal is accompanied by rising cost of living, it has the prospects of making the oil sector very competitive and neutralising a menace called oil cartel.”
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