Vice-President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy depends on productive enterprise, investment, innovation and the ability of citizens to create value, stressing that government cannot achieve the target alone.
He also warned aspiring exporters against allowing their businesses to be used for illicit drug trafficking, noting that a single contaminated shipment could result in imprisonment, destroy an entrepreneur’s reputation and damage Nigeria’s international image.
Shettima and the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, spoke on Wednesday at the Aspire Women Forum masterclass on export readiness, global market access and economic empowerment in Abuja.
The event, themed “From Survival to Thriving: Empowering Women and Youth for Export Readiness, Global Market Access and Prosperity under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” was held at the Presidential Villa.
Represented by his Special Assistant on Humanitarian Affairs and Development Partners, Inna Binta Audu, the Vice-President described the transition from economic survival to prosperity as both a national development priority and an economic necessity.
He said women and young people must play central roles in building an economy capable of generating employment, improving household incomes and creating opportunities for future generations.
“Our ambition to build a one-trillion-dollar economy cannot be realised by government alone. It requires an ecosystem in which businesses can emerge, grow, compete and contribute to national development,” he said.
Shettima stressed that economic inclusion must go beyond training programmes and empowerment announcements to provide entrepreneurs with the tools, institutions and market access required to transform their skills into sustainable income.
He said the success of the initiative should be measured by the number of businesses strengthened, entrepreneurs accessing new markets and livelihoods improved through the knowledge acquired.
The Vice-President commended the Founder and President of Aspire Women Forum, Dr Zainab Marwa, and its partners for organising the programme.
In his remarks, Marwa urged women and young entrepreneurs seeking international market access to protect their businesses from drug trafficking, warning that criminal networks could exploit their financial challenges and desire for quick profits.
He cautioned that no financial reward was worth the consequences of being used to transport illicit drugs.
“Know exactly what you are shipping. Verify your partners and your transactions. Never carry a package you did not pack, and never let your goods be used for trafficking,” he warned.
Marwa explained that a shipment contaminated with illicit drugs could cost an exporter their freedom and family reputation while jeopardising access to international markets painstakingly developed by Nigerian businesses.
He said successful exporting required integrity, quality products, compliance with applicable standards, accurate documentation and reliable service delivery.
The NDLEA chairman also cautioned participants against substance abuse, describing drug use and trafficking as threats capable of undermining personal ambitions and economic progress.
“Do not let pressure, disappointment, curiosity or the desire to belong draw you into drugs. Drugs solve no business problem and end no hardship; they only multiply them,” he said.
However, he assured people struggling with drug dependence that seeking help was a demonstration of courage rather than a source of shame.
He urged them to contact the NDLEA’s toll-free helpline on 0800 1020 3040, which he said operates round the clock, with trained professionals providing assistance in English, Pidgin, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.
Marwa also called on parents, mentors and community leaders to guide people requiring assistance towards treatment rather than isolating them.
He said the agency was ready to collaborate with Aspire Women Forum through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy initiative.
The NDLEA chairman urged participants to translate the training into practical business improvements by formalising their enterprises, maintaining proper records, strengthening digital skills and preparing their products for wider markets.
Earlier, Dr Zainab Marwa said many Nigerians worked long hours producing goods and providing services but earned little because of weaknesses in business management, inadequate record-keeping, lack of registration, unsuitable financing, poor packaging and limited access to buyers.
She commended the Federal Government’s economic inclusion initiatives under President Bola Tinubu, including financing support for small businesses through the Bank of Industry and efforts to promote skills development and digital enterprise.
According to her, the masterclass was designed to help entrepreneurs understand and access available opportunities to expand their businesses and compete more effectively.
She said the Forum deliberately included young men alongside women and young women because unstable incomes affect entire households.
Marwa added that the organisation would sustain engagement with participants beyond the event through mentoring, referrals and further learning opportunities.
She appreciated Shettima for the support of his office, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the Founder of Women in Agribusiness, Trade and Export, Dr Queen Onyinye Okpa, among other supporters.
