Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged religious leaders and faith-based organisations to deepen interfaith cooperation as part of efforts to promote peaceful coexistence, strengthen national unity and support Nigeria’s economic development.

He said religious institutions had a critical role to play in bridging social divides, fostering mutual understanding and mobilising citizens behind initiatives aimed at tackling the country’s economic and social challenges.

Vice President Shettima made the call on Thursday when he received a delegation of the Community and Youth Development National Network at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The network is a coalition of Islamic religious organisations focused on youth empowerment, leadership development and peaceful coexistence. It also operates an interfaith platform involving Christian leaders and other stakeholders to promote cooperation across religious and social divides.

Commending the organisation’s composition and outreach, the Vice President described its members as individuals with the intellectual capacity, moral standing and influence to shape public discourse, promote responsible conduct and strengthen national cohesion.

“A look around the composition of the membership of this group shows men and women of values, people who have the intellectual capacity and candour to shape narratives, acceptability and positive spiritual and moral conduct of Nigerians,” he said.

Shettima urged the group to sustain engagement with Christian leaders and other religious stakeholders, stressing that dialogue, mutual respect and cooperation were essential to building trust and preventing divisions along religious lines.

He also called on the organisation to support the Federal Government’s efforts to address the country’s economic challenges, noting that national progress required collective commitment and a shared sense of responsibility.

“I urge you to be partners in our national progress. Remain undeterred and focused, and let us ensure that whatever binds us supersedes that which divides us. This nation must be seen as a collective responsibility, a collective patrimony which deserves all our loyalty and service,” the Vice President said.

On the administration’s economic policies, Shettima expressed confidence in the reforms being implemented by President Bola Tinubu, describing them as necessary measures to address longstanding structural weaknesses and reposition the country for sustainable growth.

While acknowledging the difficulties associated with the reforms, he maintained that they were laying the groundwork for improved economic performance and greater prosperity in the long term.

He urged religious and community leaders to help build public understanding of government policies, encourage constructive engagement and support initiatives designed to improve citizens’ welfare.

Earlier, the delegation, led by the network’s National Coordinator and Vice Chairman II, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, reaffirmed its commitment to religious tolerance, youth development and peaceful coexistence.

The group stressed the need for stronger partnerships among religious organisations and other stakeholders to promote national stability, responsible leadership and inclusive development.