The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has called for a strategic media partnership with The Guardian in preparation for its 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit (NES 32), which is set to take place on October 26 and 27 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.
Delegation Visits The Guardian
Mojisola Saka, Chairperson of the Media and Publicity Subcommittee for NES32, made the appeal during a courtesy visit to The Guardian's head office at Rutam House in Lagos yesterday. She led a delegation that sought editorial collaboration, sustained pre-summit coverage, and joint messaging efforts to enhance public engagement around the summit's theme, 'The Growth That Works'.
Role of Media in Shaping Discourse
Saka emphasized that the media is crucial in shaping public discourse and broadening stakeholder participation in policy conversations. 'We cannot tell the truth from our platform alone. No matter how many eyeballs we have across our socials, no matter how many followers we have, we cannot have enough resonance with the public as much as the media platforms do,' she stated.
The Guardian is the first print media organization on the group's engagement schedule for the summit, which will focus on five thematic pillars: Work Nigeria, Invest Nigeria, Scale Nigeria, Secure Nigeria, and Produce Nigeria. According to the NESG, these pillars reflect key policy priorities needed to translate recent economic reforms into tangible outcomes for citizens.
Summit Details
Saka described the summit as a joint initiative of the NESG and the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning. It will bring together policymakers, private sector leaders, development partners, and other stakeholders to deliberate on reforms and implementation strategies. She noted that the group seeks media engagement that extends beyond the two-day event to sustain conversations around policy commitments and outcomes.
Vision for Growth
'A growth that works would be reflected in improved access to jobs, affordable food, business financing, and a safer operating environment for citizens and enterprises. A Nigeria that supports small and medium enterprises. A Nigeria that can at least guarantee access to funding for someone who has a business idea,' Saka added.
The NESG delegation also disclosed plans to establish a technical media-working group involving partner media organizations to support stakeholder engagement ahead of the summit.
