Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, explains the purpose of his ongoing visit to the United States, saying his mission is focused on attracting investment, creating jobs and strengthening Nigeria’s economic ties with American businesses.
Atiku, who is meeting with officials of the United States administration and business leaders during the visit, says he is seeking to create an economic environment capable of attracting American investments back to Nigeria.
In a statement explaining the purpose of his trip, the former Vice President says his visit is driven by his desire to increase foreign direct investment and create more employment opportunities for Nigerians.
“It has become pertinent for me to speak about my ongoing visit to the United States of America, where I met and I am still meeting with US administration officials and business leaders,” he says.
According to Atiku, his objective is to encourage American companies to increase their investments in Nigeria after what he describes as a significant decline in foreign investment under the current administration.
“I travelled to the United States of America because I had a mission and my mission is to create the right economic atmosphere for American investments to return to Nigeria at a rate and quantum that we had before the current Nigerian administration’s policies almost halted the flow of Foreign Direct Investments to Nigeria,” he says.
Atiku says job creation remains central to his political ambition, adding that his interest in public service is driven by his belief that Nigeria can play a major role in Africa and the international community.
“I am in America because Atiku means jobs,” he says.
The former Vice President also criticises the direction of Nigeria’s leadership, quoting the late novelist Chinua Achebe’s observation that “the trouble with Nigeria is the failure of leadership.”
He argues that Nigeria’s relationships with some of its traditional international partners have suffered setbacks, which he says have consequences for the country’s economy.
According to him, Nigeria’s foreign policy should protect existing relationships while developing new partnerships, rather than sacrificing longstanding alliances in the process.
“New friendships should not be made at the cost of old friendships. It is not an either-or situation,” Atiku says.
He also draws attention to the changing global energy market, arguing that Nigeria needs to prepare for a future in which countries increasingly move away from fossil fuels towards electric vehicles and other forms of green energy.
As a result, he says Nigeria needs to reduce its dependence on crude oil and accelerate the development of manufacturing, agriculture and value-added industries.
“As a leader in business, I am cognisant of the fact that both Western and Oriental nations will be making the transition from fossil fuels to electric powered vehicles and other green energies over the course of the next two decades,” he says.
Atiku also highlights what he describes as opportunities for Nigeria and other African countries to earn more from their natural and agricultural resources by developing local processing and expanding access to international markets.
He cites the coffee industry as an example, pointing to the difference between the value Africa receives from exporting coffee and the revenue generated by countries that process and re-export the commodity.
For Atiku, the situation demonstrates the need for African countries to move beyond dependence on raw commodity exports and develop stronger manufacturing and processing industries.
He says Nigeria needs leadership that focuses on business, investment and value creation rather than depending heavily on foreign aid and loans.
The former Vice President also draws attention to Nigeria’s large youthful population, arguing that the country’s young people represent a major economic resource.
He says his objective is to help transform Nigeria from what he describes as a predominantly consumer economy into a “prosumer” economy—one that produces a significant share of what it consumes while also developing products for export.
Atiku says attracting major international companies back to Nigeria is part of that vision.
He specifically mentions Procter & Gamble and General Electric, expressing the desire for major American companies that have reduced or ended operations in Nigeria to reconsider their investment positions.
Beyond attracting American investment, Atiku says he wants Nigeria to increase its exports to the United States.
He points to the country’s creative industry, including Nollywood, its mining sector and locally manufactured products as areas with significant export potential.
According to him, Nigeria’s footwear industry, particularly in Kano and Aba, also has the capacity to serve international markets.
Atiku rejects the suggestion that Nigeria’s young people are unwilling to work.
“Someone somewhere said Nigeria’s youth are lazy. I am one of the single largest employers of Nigeria’s youth and I know that that assertion is false,” he says.
He adds that his international engagements are aimed at presenting what he describes as a different picture of Nigeria to the global business community.
“My travels in Europe and America is to sell the Nigeria that I know to the world that does not yet know her,” he says.
Atiku describes Nigeria as a country with a large, youthful and hardworking population, significant business opportunities and economic potential beyond crude oil.
He says his objective is to convince international investors that Nigeria remains open for business and capable of supporting profitable partnerships.
“And I am certain that if I am successful in selling this Nigeria to the world, the world will come to Nigeria for business,” he says.
Explaining the significance of his American visit, Atiku concludes that his campaign for investment is ultimately connected to employment, opportunity, national unity and security.
“That is why I am in America. Because I believe in JOBS — Jobs, Opportunity, Being United and Security and it is time Nigeria and all Nigerians finally have the opportunity to realize their true potential,” he says.
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