Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured Nigerians that every part of the country will benefit from President Bola Tinubu’s industrialisation agenda, declaring that the administration is committed to building an inclusive economy driven by manufacturing, value addition and job creation.
Shettima gave the assurance during an official visit to the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) in Cotonou, Benin Republic, where he led a delegation of Nigerian governors on a study tour to examine the country’s industrial development model.
He said the Federal Government was determined to ensure that no geopolitical zone was excluded from the renewed push to industrialise Nigeria, stressing that the administration was working closely with state governments to establish agro-industrial hubs capable of transforming local economies.
According to the Vice President, Nigeria is already developing eight agro-industrial zones across different states as part of efforts to promote value addition in agriculture, reduce dependence on raw commodity exports and create millions of employment opportunities.
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Shettima noted that Africa possesses enormous natural resources but continues to receive only a small share of global manufacturing and trade due to limited industrial capacity. He cited the continent’s insignificant earnings from the global cotton industry as an example of the need for greater investment in local processing.
He expressed admiration for Benin Republic’s success in converting agricultural products such as cotton, cashew and soybeans into export-ready finished goods, describing the industrial zone as an African success story worthy of emulation.
The Vice President said Nigeria would adopt lessons from the Beninese model to strengthen domestic industries and improve export competitiveness. He maintained that industrialisation remains central to the Renewed Hope Agenda and will stimulate economic diversification beyond oil.
Shettima also stressed that cooperation between the Federal Government and sub-national administrations would accelerate infrastructure development and attract private sector investment into manufacturing.
He assured investors that the Tinubu administration remained committed to creating policies that support industrial growth, improve productivity and expand opportunities across all regions of the country.
Analysts believe the visit reflects Nigeria’s growing interest in regional collaboration as it seeks to strengthen industrial capacity, revive the textile sector and increase non-oil exports in line with broader economic reform objectives.

