Sanwo-Olu Tasks NESG on Increased Public Advocacy for Inclusive Economic Growth

Segun James and Gilbert Ekugbe

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday charged the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) to strengthen its level of advocacy with the public sector to drive an all-inclusive economic growth in the country.
peaking at the Nigerian Economic Summit (NES) at 30 public lecture and Founders’ forum organised by NESG, themed: “In the National Interest: Reflecting on the Past, Reimagining the Future”, the governor said NESG should prioritise the principles of collaboration to build a multi-stakeholder alliance.
“I think NESG can scale up its relevance and we will work with you at achieving this. I would therefore like to touch on the linkage between policy work and public consciousness, because the more an organisation is able to connect with the general public, the greater its effectiveness.

“ This is why I think NESG should explore ways of deepening the public-facing side of its work. I am pleased to know that you have recently launched a podcast that allows engaging conversation with experts as one of the ways to bring your work to new audiences.
“ I encourage more effort taking advantage of digital technology so that more Nigerians can see not just the work that you do, but also how that work contributes to improving the quality of their lives and livelihood,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The governor opined that one of the ideas that the public sector needs to improve on is its level of synergy among key stakeholders of the economy to pursue a collective agenda of service for the benefits to the citizens.
Earlier, the NESG Board Chairman, Mr. Niyi Yusuf, pointed out the gathering celebrates and reflects on the three decades of transformative dialogue and economic reform facilitated by NESG.

“Thirty years ago, at a critical juncture in our nation’s history, the NES was born out of a necessity when the winds of economic challenges blew fiercely, necessitating a platform for robust public-private dialogue.
“Since our inaugural summit in 1993, the NES has been a progressive economic discourse rooted deeply in collaborative efforts between government leaders and private sector visionaries,” he said.
He stated that at the heart of the NESG’s advocacy efforts, the annual NES remains a flagship event, and marks a significant milestone in the journey of progress and impact.

“Therefore, in commemorating this 30th anniversary, it is essential to assess and discuss the role of this public-private dialogue platform in Nigeria’s socio-economic landscape to provide us insights for future engagements,” he averred.
On his part, the Chief Executive Officer, NESG, Dr. Tayo Aduloju, said NESG’s interventions over the last 30 years had moved the country from what was a very closed economy to what is now a more open economy.
“However, the NESG is not just pursuing the openness of the economy. We are pursuing the competitiveness of the economy, the sustainability of the economy and the inclusion of the economy.
“Whilst then, even when Nigeria was growing, Nigeria’s growth has been characteristically ‘uninclusive’ and so the challenge at the 30th anniversary now is how do you drive a country forward right over the next 30 years in such a way that it is not just growth, but growth that creates jobs and opportunities for everyone and no one is left behind,” he said.
He pointed out the need for the government to build strong institutions, appoint competent people in charge of those institutions while also backing it with political will.

“There is also a need to build a plan, and let’s follow the plan through to execution, clear the way of political interests so that business can grow, create jobs and attract investments, and then we will get it right again,” Aduloju urged.
The Dean, Lagos Business School (LBS), Prof. Chris Ogbechie, said NES offers a platform to reflect on the impact, progress it has made over the past 30 years, saying that it is the shared vision of its founding fathers to create a platform for instructive engagements between the private and public sector leaders.

“The summit has served as a beacon of hope and a platform for constructive dialogue between the public and private sector. It has been instrumental in shaping policies and driving sustainable development across various sectors of the economy,” he said