Matthew Willsher, acting chief executive officer of Etisalat Nigeria, said engaging with people and business is the way to make progress.
He said this in view of great opportunities in the country which he agrees Nigeria needs to take a step towards turning growth into prosperity.
Willsher, who’s company sponsored the just concluded Nigeria Summit organized by The Economist Event in Lagos, said the potentials of this economy is becoming clearer to the world and it was only a matter of time before it begins to translate to tangible developments that would engender prosperity.
“The future of our business here depends on the progress of Nigeria. We have been in this country for barely five years and have attracted over 18 million subscribers and as a late entrant in the market, that shows you just how deep the Nigerian market is in terms of potentials for growth. The Nigerian market is a rich in possibilities. When you look at the demographic pattern of the Nigerian population, you see a lot of promise, especially if you realise that this is a youth population. But more than the population is the energy, the enterprise and the creative endowments of the people that make up this population”, he said.
According to him, the thing to do is to keep the dialogue ongoing. “We should not get defensive and wither in the frustrations of the present challenges. The truth is that time has come for Nigeria to take hold of its own destiny. So we all need to work together to be able to drive that huge vehicle called Nigeria forward to the right destination. Nigeria is a booming economy with a vast array of talent, natural resources and human capital. As such, Nigeria’s economic growth is picking up at an exponential rate. Over the years, the Nigeria Summit has served as a platform for discussing hard-hitting and pertinent issues in a frank, forward-thinking, and solutions-providing manner. I have no doubt that issues raised her as in the past editions will go a long way in helping foster development for Nigeria and Nigerians.”
In 2013, Etisalat also sponsored the Summit. Themed “Enabling and Implementing Change,” the 2013 Summit sought to find a pathway to salvaging the already murky educational system of the country among many other sub topics. Although not much progress had been recorded since the last summit in the area of education development, Willsher is of the opinion that the conversation just has to continue until the desire goals are attained.
HOPE MOSES-ASHIKE
