Walter Carrington, former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, says if Nigeria can channel the population boom and create an enabling environment for the youth that could cause Nigeria to realise its potential.
Cote D’Ivoire and Senegal are growing at exponential rates as opposed to Nigeria due to less reliance on oil. He also stated Nigeria must diversify its sources of export earnings and rely more on agriculture, energy and infrastructure.
Carrington, 87, said Nigeria continues to be left out of membership of confederation of nations who are forerunners in the world. Whereas South Africa, smaller and with less potential than Nigeria garners more respect internationally
This was all during a public lecture, officiated by the Lagos State Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment in Lagos themed: Nigeria and Africa in a changing world.
On a positive note, Carrington said there has been a feeling of optimism for the nation’s future “partly because of the feeling that Nigeria, under its current leadership, is on the verge of turning around.”
The former ambassador said although its economy is the 20th largest in the world and is expected to grow Nigeria has not been invited to the G-20, which claims to represent the world’s most advanced economies.
“Some 15 years ago, four of the world’s major emerging economies, Brazil, Russia, India and China, came together in a group that became known by the acronym BRIC. In 2010, seeking an African member, they chose South Africa which became the S in the newly named BRICS.
“I look forward to the day when Nigeria becomes the N in a renamed group of 6 which will be known as the BRINCS,” he added.
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