Nigeria has a young and growing population, a wide range of natural resources and a government full of internationally renowned reformers – yet life for the average Nigerian is not improving. There’s no shortage of visions that see Nigeria transformed into a dynamic, competitive economy where entrepreneurialism and innovation thrives. But the real need is for action – at all levels.

Bringing together 180+ international business leaders, investors, policymakers and influential commentators, our flagship Nigeria Summit will focus on what is being done to execute the vision.

The summit is on March 19-20th, 2013 at the Eko Expo Center, Lagos, Nigeria





Dan Smiley, Middle East and Africa Editor, The Economist, giving his welcome address

There is no political apatite the for another big war in the Middle East. "China has an aging population, more than every other country"
"If the Euro collapses, it would usher in a global recession."
Nigeria has set a target to be one of the top 20 economies in the world. However, our forecast puts it at 33rd -
Nigeria is the 75th most attractive country for business in the 81 countries compared -
By 2015, about 50% of subsaharan Africa will be urbanized
Nigeria can rival China if you reform. The issues are to formalize the key sectors, infrastructure and regional integration

Robert Ward, Publishing Director, Economist Intelligence Unit



Updates taken from : https://twitter.com/GbengaGOLD

Minister for Petroleum, Allison Deziani, makes her cool entrance

So, according to the wise guys at The Economist, the likelihood of a war in the Middle East is slim. Hope the Iranians agree

On that unlikely war in the Middle East, I also believe nobody can afford a war at this time. Too expensive and damaging


There's been a break in proceedings at the #nigeriasummit for close to 7 minutes. Seems we are waiting on the president to make his entrance


Good news. The wise guys at the Economist say we are half way into the recession. Bad news? It's a 10-year deal #nigeriasummit

The president arrives. We all stand. Me too #nigeriasummit

Where is this happening?

The former president of Brazil, Lula da Silva, now delivering his keynote address

In 10 years, 33m people were lifted from below the poverty line. 44m were lifted to the middle class. 17m formal jobs were created.We created 3 million small and medium enterprises. minimum wage went from $80 to $420. The education budget went from $9b to $30b. We managed to get electricity to 99.8% of homes in Brazil - Brazil is the 3rd largest food producer in the world after the US and the European Union. Today, brazil has capital investment of 20% of GDP. Domestic debt has fallen from 62% of GDP to 35%.Brazil needs to diversify its relations.

Lula da Siva demonstrating amazing knowledge of Africa and it's potential for economic growth. His passion is palpable.

The war in Iraq over the 10 years has cost $1.7tr.
Lula da Silva speaking in Portuguese but his words are visibly weighty and passionate. GEJ looks on

If Brazil could do it, every country in African can do it - Lula da Silva

Lula da Silva ends his speech and most of the hall are on their feet in applause

Now, President Goodluck Jonathan is about to speak. As his citation is being read,he revises his notes

So, Lula da Silva spoke about what has been achieved and what needs to be done. GEJ to share on his Transformation Agenda

GEJ just said his election was adjudged Nigerian's fairest and freest.


We have our challenges and we are working hard to meet them.
GEJ mentions his war against corruption and you could almost hear the collective sigh in the hall
The problem of ghost workers has been significantly reduced
Our economy grew by 6.8%, which is by far one of the highest in the world
Our port reforms are aimed at achieving efficiency in that sector. We shall continue to work with stakeholders to make it better
Nigerians are spending less to buy diesel today
There are so many steps that we have taken to sanitize the oil industry
We are diversifying. In agriculture, we have accelerated the production of staple foods
In manufacturing, we are encouraging backward integration. In housing, we are setting up a mortgage company.
We established YouWin to encourage young Nigerian to create jobs. Our target is that it creates 8,000 jobs in a shorttime
We have laid a solid foundation for our international partners to come in and invest
Dangote is the biggest producer of sugar


Question to GEJ: You have major investors and banks in here, what would you say to them now?
We want the financiers to finance, because government cannot do it alone

Talk is cheap! We need structures on ground,if i need inspiring lectures,uncle sam's havard grad(obama) would do.

At the end of the summit, GEJ will pardon more thieves to enable them join him in looting the treasury........smh

President Lula da Silva just presented a Brazilian football jersey to GEJ. Fun moment

GEJ and Lula da Silva have exited the conference hall

Result-oriented speech dwells on achievements:

mukina2: The former president of Brazil, Lula da Silva, now delivering his keynote address

In 10 years, 33m people were lifted from below the poverty line. 44m were lifted to the middle class. 17m formal jobs were created.We created 3 million small and medium enterprises. minimum wage went from $80 to $420. The education budget went from $9b to $30b. We managed to get electricity to 99.8% of homes in Brazil - Brazil is the 3rd largest food producer in the world after the US and the European Union. Today, brazil has capital investment of 20% of GDP. Domestic debt has fallen from 62% of GDP to 35%.Brazil needs to diversify its relations.

Compare with this futuristic plan of action:

mukina2:
Now, President Goodluck Jonathan is about to speak.

We have our challenges and we are working hard to meet them.
GEJ mentions his war against corruption and you could almost hear the collective sigh in the hall
The problem of ghost workers has been significantly reduced
Our economy grew by 6.8%, which is by far one of the highest in the world
Our port reforms are aimed at achieving efficiency in that sector. We shall continue to work with stakeholders to make it better
Nigerians are spending less to buy diesel today
There are so many steps that we have taken to sanitize the oil industry
We are diversifying. In agriculture, we have accelerated the production of staple foods
In manufacturing, we are encouraging backward integration. In housing, we are setting up a mortgage company.
We established YouWin to encourage young Nigerian to create jobs. Our target is that it creates 8,000 jobs in a shorttime
We have laid a solid foundation for our international partners to come in and invest
Dangote is the biggest producer of sugar

The difference is very clear. As per passion, that is what GEJ lacks while making speeches. He doesn't speak from his own mind. . .he merely reads what has been written. He can rarely motivate his audience to action.

**talk shop**

What is really the problem of our leaders (Our father's generation). They are so terrible. These are the people that enjoyed the Nigeria our fore fathers (Grand fathers) created. They enjoyed the benefits of free and fair environment. Good jobs immediately after university, food supplies and other things in the university, good economy with very strong Naira. Free scholarship abroad to study, free visas to the western countries. These our leaders destroyed what was given to them. They made life very hard for the children they gave birth to. They made every part of the world to look at us with ridicule because of the evil legacy of greed and stealing they have created. Its time for the leaders to change. Change need to start from them.

All these useless meetings that do little or nothing to affect the life of the common man on the street.

Smh. We have a Mokodumbi as president. Jst talking trash.

Come oh! How does this affect the . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .the heads of our leaders who invest so little in infrastructures?

mukina2: The former president of Brazil, Lula da Silva, now delivering his keynote address

In 10 years, 33m people were lifted from below the poverty line. 44m were lifted to the middle class. 17m formal jobs were created.We created 3 million small and medium enterprises. minimum wage went from $80 to $420. The education budget went from $9b to $30b. We managed to get electricity to 99.8% of homes in Brazil - Brazil is the 3rd largest food producer in the world after the US and the European Union. Today, brazil has capital investment of 20% of GDP. Domestic debt has fallen from 62% of GDP to 35%.Brazil needs to diversify its relations.

Lula da Siva demonstrating amazing knowledge of Africa and it's potential for economic growth. His passion is palpable.

The war in Iraq over the 10 years has cost $1.7tr.
Lula da Silva speaking in Portuguese but his words are visibly weighty and passionate. GEJ looks on

If Brazil could do it, every country in African can do it - Lula da Silva

Lula da Silva ends his speech and most of the hall are on their feet in applause

We should source Nigeria out for him to govern for 10 years

El Presido: Result-oriented speech dwells on achievements:



Compare with this futuristic plan of action:



The difference is very clear. As per passion, that is what GEJ lacks while making speeches. He doesn't speak from his own mind. . .he merely reads what has been written. He can rarely motivate his audience to action.

When you have results to show the passion comes easily. But when you have no clue where to take the country, you ramble and ramble and put your audience to sleep

What's wrong can never be right.... the government dat came in through the back door can never make any changes in dis country ,take it or leave it.....

mukina2:
GEJ mentions his war against corruption and you could almost hear the collective sigh in the hall

PDP IS A PRODUCT OF CORRUPTION ,SO EXPECT NOTHING GUD FROM THEM.

Okontami: What is really the problem of our leaders (Our father's generation). They are so terrible. These are the people that enjoyed the Nigeria our fore fathers (Grand fathers) created. They enjoyed the benefits of free and fair environment. Good jobs immediately after university, food supplies and other things in the university, good economy with very strong Naira. Free scholarship abroad to study, free visas to the western countries. These our leaders destroyed what was given to them. They made life very hard for the children they gave birth to. They made every part of the world to look at us with ridicule because of the evil legacy of greed and stealing they have created. Its time for the leaders to change. Change need to start from them.

A success without a successor is a monumental failure. Our founding fathers worked to give generations after them 'fishes' but never thought them how to fish, fish and fish again.

Hmm wen will gej stop disgracing himself b4 d world how can he even tink of mentioning fight against corruption as one of his achievements wen its is obvious dat his administration is corruption friendly,may God hav mercy on him he still hav time to right d wrong which he has done b4 2015 hopefully or maybe in my dream

[size=15pt]YES FORWARD EVER BACKWARD NEVER..[/size]