“Be The First Confidence Builders”: UN Deputy Chief Amina Mohammed Urges Nigerians To Own Development Narrative

The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, has challenged Nigerians to adopt a more confident, evidence-based approach when communicating the country’s economic reforms and development potential to the international community.

Speaking during a fireside chat titled “Africa’s Next Development Frontier: Inclusive Growth, Resilience, and Human Dignity” at the 2026 Nigerian Economic Summit (NES) in Abuja, the UN chief underscored the direct link between domestic self-perception and international investor confidence.

Acknowledging widespread public cynicism surrounding decades of policy debates, Ms. Mohammed addressed the recurring frustration among citizens regarding economic promises versus tangible outcomes.

“We have also had the feeling that we’ve been here before—that in Nigeria, we have been talking about these things for decades,” Ms. Mohammed said. “Everyone is asking: ‘So, what’s different? How much more grammar are we going to talk?’ I believe that we also have to ask ourselves: ‘What are we getting wrong? What is it that is not enabling us to reach those potentials that we say we have?’”

Reframing The Economic Narrative

Despite acknowledging the structural bottlenecks hindering accelerated growth, the former Nigerian Environment Minister made a passionate plea for citizens and business leaders to highlight incremental progress, describing internal skepticism as a key barrier to foreign direct investment.

“Let us consistently talk about the glass that is partially full,” she emphasized. “We might disagree on whether it is half-full, a quarter-full, or whatever it may be, but it has been filled, and we must continue to work towards filling it completely.”

She observed that while international markets are closely watching Nigeria’s ongoing fiscal and structural reform efforts, negative messaging driven domestically often undermines economic prospects.

“Why is that? Because we Nigerians are the greatest critics of ourselves,” Ms. Mohammed noted. “The narrative and the signals that we send outside of this room are important. If we don’t have belief and confidence in ourselves—in spite of the things that may not be right—then the markets are not going to have confidence either. We have to be the first confidence-builders of this nation.”

Building Resilience For Sustainable Growth

The UN Deputy Chief highlighted that sustainable development must be grounded in inclusive growth, resilience, and human dignity, urging policymakers to pair market-driven reforms with robust social safety nets.

As the annual summit convenes public sector leaders, private investors, and policy experts, her remarks reinforce the growing consensus that domestic narrative management and structural accountability are equally critical to positioning Nigeria as Africa’s primary investment hub.