BRICS summit: Nigeria passionate on empowering enterprises, says Shettima

• Alliance not rival of G7, G20, says Brazil’s Lula 

Vice President Kashim Shettima has declared that the Nigerian government is passionate about empowering Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) for development of the nation’s economy.

“It is a known fact that empowerment of MSMEs is key to empowering our youth and women towards contributing to the nation’s economic development,” Shettima said.

The Vice President disclosed this, yesterday, while speaking with journalists during his tour of exhibition stands at the BRICS Trade Fair in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Further, on the commitment of President Bola Tinubu towards empowering MSMEs, Shettima said: “The President is a very compassionate leader, and in the coming months, there will be changes in the fortunes of Nigeria.”

Explaining the economic effect of the growth of MSMEs on the economy, Shettima said: “This will have positive impacts, which will enable them to support their families and add value to the nation.”

The Vice President commended organisers of the fair, which had about 180 exhibitors from various sectors of the economy. He stressed that the exhibitions will, in the long run, serve the purpose of galvanising investment and trade in the continent.

Shettima, who took time to inspect Nigeria’s exhibitions, also lauded the investments of Nigerians in South Africa.

Meanwhile, Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said the BRICS bloc of nations aims to organise the developing Global South and is not meant to rival the United States and the Group of Seven (G7) wealthy economies.

His comments point to a divergence of vision as leaders of the bloc – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – arrived in Johannesburg for the summit that would weigh expanding the group, as some members push to forge it into a counterweight to the West.

“We do not want to be a counterpoint to the G7, G20 or the United States,” Lula said during a social media broadcast from Johannesburg. “We just want to organise ourselves.”