NESG to convene 32nd economic summit on jobs, others

Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has announced the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit (NES#32), scheduled to hold on October 26 and 27, 2026, in Abuja, with a focus on translating Nigeria’s economic reforms into jobs, higher productivity and improved living standards.

The summit, themed “Growth that Works: Delivering Jobs, Productivity and Shared Prosperity,” will take place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel and bring together policymakers, business leaders, investors, development partners, civil society organisations and young Nigerians.

According to NESG, the summit comes at a critical point in Nigeria’s economic development, following three years of significant macroeconomic reforms aimed at restoring fiscal sustainability and strengthening the country’s economic fundamentals.

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However, the organisation said the next challenge was to ensure that economic growth produced tangible improvements in the welfare of citizens.

NESG said the discussions would focus on moving Nigeria beyond economic growth measured mainly by macroeconomic indicators to an economy capable of creating quality jobs, raising incomes, reducing poverty, improving productivity and expanding opportunities across the country.

It noted that Nigeria’s population of more than 220 million people, abundant natural resources, entrepreneurial population and youthful workforce provided the country with the potential to become one of the world’s leading emerging economies.

Despite these advantages, the organisation said millions of Nigerians continued to face unemployment, low productivity, limited economic opportunities and vulnerability to economic shocks.

It said NES #32 would therefore examine ways of strengthening the connection between economic reforms and outcomes that directly affect Nigerians, particularly employment, productivity, income growth and living standards.

The summit will organise its deliberations around five strategic dialogue tracks: “Work Nigeria,” “Produce Nigeria,” “Invest Nigeria,” “Scale Nigeria” and “Secure Nigeria.”

“Work Nigeria” will examine strategies for creating a job-rich economy capable of absorbing the country’s expanding workforce, with emphasis on labour-intensive sectors, micro, small and medium enterprises, workforce readiness and labour market systems.

“Produce Nigeria” will focus on productivity through industrialisation, innovation, investment promotion, digital transformation and competitive value chains in agriculture, manufacturing and services.

Under “Invest Nigeria,” participants will discuss investments in human capital and systems to reduce poverty, improve access to essential services, strengthen social protection and increase the resilience of vulnerable populations.

“Scale Nigeria” will focus on expanding economic growth across states, sectors and communities through stronger subnational competitiveness, regional value chains, infrastructure and local investment coordination.

The “Secure Nigeria” track will address the protection of critical economic assets, restoration of confidence in production zones, improved access to farmlands, infrastructure security and the creation of a safer environment for investment and enterprise.

NESG said discussions would also be anchored on three interconnected pillars: productivity, human capital and resilience.

According to the organisation, the pillars will guide deliberations on improving Nigeria’s competitiveness, equipping citizens with skills relevant to the modern economy and strengthening systems capable of withstanding domestic and global shocks.

The summit is expected to develop actionable policy recommendations and build consensus around a new phase of Nigeria’s economic transformation.

Key areas of focus will include job creation through agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure and the digital economy; improving productivity through innovation and infrastructure; strengthening the investment climate; aligning workforce skills with labour market demands; and expanding economic opportunities while reducing poverty.

NESG said the summit would also seek to strengthen the link between economic reforms, enterprise growth, employment generation and household welfare.

The organisation called for greater collaboration among government, the private sector, development partners, academia, labour organisations, civil society and young Nigerians in developing solutions to accelerate inclusive economic growth.

It described NES #32 as a platform for evidence-based dialogue, strategic partnerships and practical solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.

The NESG said the summit would ultimately seek to answer a fundamental question: “How can economic growth work better for Nigerians?”

The organisation said the outcome of the deliberations would help shape Nigeria’s development trajectory around jobs, productivity, resilience and shared prosperity.