The March 2021 edition of the Nile University Economics Department Guest Speaker series was held on 30th March 2021. The program tagged “Nigeria's Socio-economic Challenges in the COVID-19 Era: Fiscal Policy Issues and Solutions” had in attendance the former Minister of Finance, Distinguished Senator Nenadi Usman, who served as the event’s special guest speaker.
In her lecture, Sen. Nenadi shared insights on practical fiscal issues. In particular, she discussed the recent socio-economic issues in Nigeria such as job scarcity, fuel hikes, increased insecurity and many more. To address these, she stated, Nigeria needs to have a diversified economy that does not rely solely on crude oil. Furthermore, she emphasized the need for Nigeria to allow businesspeople to buy shares from refineries to facilitate the provision of opportunities for investors who will be willing to put new ideas into the oil industry, which will in turn lead to an increase in revenue generation.
Other highlights of the event included the recitation of poems by Aisha Tahir and Hadiza Shuaibu, students from the University’s Faculty of Law, motivational speech by an aspiring student billionaire, Abubakar Aliyu Tukur, entertainment by a visiting comedian, Hon. Gospel Alhaji, speeches by the President of the Students Representative Council, Muhammad Oyanki, and President of Economics Students, Hauwa Ahmed. The event also featured an interactive session during which students asked questions on pressing issues bordering on education and the fuel price hike.
The program ended with the presentation of souvenirs to the guest speakers by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Osman Nuri Aras. Other special guests at the event included Assoc. Prof Gylych Jelilov (Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences), Prof. Benedict Akanegbu (Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences), Prof. Ebele Amali (Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies), Dr. Nargiza Alymkulova (HoD, Economics Department), Dr. Ahmed Adamu (Senior Lecturer, Economics Department), among other distinguished Professors and academics.
