by Akintomiwa Agbaje

 

The 20th Nigerian Economic Summit holds from 18 – 20 March 2014 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria.

This year’s Summit – which is the 20th edition of the annual marathon of ideas and innovation – is of particular significance as it focuses solely on the education sector.

 

 

“The decision to hold the Summit on education was taken to address the decline in a sector that is critical to economic development,” said Frank Nweke, Director-General of the NESG. “The Nigerian education sector is in dire straits, and requires both public and private sector intervention, if the country is to fulfill its potential as not only a regional powerhouse, but as a global player”

 

 

This year’s Summit will be declared open by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. The President will also lead the high level interaction at Presidential Policy Dialogue aimed at distilling the requirements for deciding what Nigeria’s ideal education system should be.

 

 

Some of the key issues to be discussed at the summit include:

1. National consensus on the objectives of our education system.

2. Collective realisation of the pervasive centrality and importance of education to national development.

3. Sustainable structural reforms and changes that will allow the emergence of a 21st century economy.

4. Building a culture of life-long learning, to ensure the Nigerian economy can respond quickly to global changes and global developments.

Speakers and panelists include Delta, Edo, Ekiti and Kaduna State Governors; Professor PAI Obanya (WAEC); Amb. Maryam Katagum (UNESCO); Jim Ovia (Quantum Capital Partners); Marie Francois Marie Nelly (Country Director, World Bank); Jim Oneill, (ex-Chairman, Goldman Sachs); Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Chairman, Senate Committee on Education; Hon Comrade Aminu Suleiman, Chairman, House Committee on Education; Tony O. Elumelu, Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation; Mutiu Sunmonu, Managing Director, Shell Nigeria; Sola David- Borha, CEO, Stanbic IBTC; Jill Jupiter Jones, Team Leader for Education, USAID, Nigeria, amongst others.

For more information about NES 20, visit www.nigerianeconomicsummit.org. Follow on Twitter @nesgnigeria, on Facebook: NigerianEconomicSummitGroup. The official hashtag is #NES20.

 

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