Taiwo Oyedele, Nigeria's Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, stated that Nigeria has moved from talking about economic reforms to executing them, becoming a model for Africa's transformation. He spoke on Thursday on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, where he highlighted the country's reform progress over the past three years. According to Oyedele, the forum's focus on scale, speed, and credible institutions mirrors Nigeria's current approach.
He said discussions at the event showed a continental shift from policy rhetoric to practical implementation. "Nigeria is still the largest economy by scale, by skills, by opportunities, by population. And we have done it. It wasn't meant to be easy, but it was necessary," Oyedele said. "Africa is not just about saying we should do this or we should do that; we now have the example in Nigeria."
Oyedele credited President Bola Tinubu for actively promoting Nigeria to global investors during bilateral meetings at the forum. He described Tinubu as "the chief marketer for the country," noting that talks focused on attracting investment into the power sector, mining, and private-sector reforms. On the first day of the summit, concrete commitments were secured in port development, solid minerals, and private enterprise.
He also referenced President Tinubu's meeting with Guinea's President Mamadi Doumbouya, describing the relationship as strategic. Oyedele said Tinubu commended Doumbouya for keeping Guinea in ECOWAS despite pressure to withdraw. Both countries are exploring partnerships in mining and iron ore development. Guinea holds about one-third of the world's known bauxite reserves and the Simandou iron ore deposits, one of the largest untapped high-grade iron ore resources globally.
The 13th Africa CEO Forum gathered heads of state, CEOs, and investors to discuss capital mobilisation, institutional reforms, and economic integration across Africa.
Oyedele claims Nigeria is now executing reforms after years of talk, yet the same officials overseeing past policy delays are leading the current agenda. The minister points to investment deals signed in Rwanda as proof of progress, but these were announced without detailing timelines, funding sources, or implementation plans. If the new reform model depends on presidential marketing rather than systemic change, it risks repeating the cycle of announcements without delivery. Guinea's retention in ECOWAS is framed as a diplomatic win, but Nigeria's influence rests on economic performance that has yet to show broad-based results.
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