By Peter Omopo
Lagos, July 25, 2025 — The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has called for deeper collaboration with the media to enhance public discourse, promote data-driven policy reform, and advance sustainable economic development across Nigeria and the African continent.
A delegation from the NESG, led by the Head of Media and Publicity, Mojisola Saka, and Chief Economist, Dr. Olusegun Omisakin, made this appeal during a courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of Punch Nigeria Limited in Lagos on Wednesday.
Speaking during the visit, Dr. Omisakin underscored the media’s critical role in shaping narratives around governance, economic policies, and developmental progress. He noted that Nigeria’s challenges in education, infrastructure, energy, and data reliability demand rigorous and sustained public engagement—fueled by accurate, accessible information.
“We’re not a government agency,” Omisakin clarified. “NESG operates independently to bridge the gap between citizens, data, and policy. We depend on community collaboration and media amplification to generate evidence-based insights that inform reform.”
He explained that the NESG works with both public and private sectors through thematic policy commissions and its annual Nigerian Economic Summit, which produces the Green Book—a key policy document containing actionable recommendations shared with government and industry stakeholders.
According to Omisakin, the NESG uses a policy accountability framework to track the implementation of summit resolutions, noting tangible progress in areas such as sustainable energy, agriculture, leadership, and governance.
He also raised concerns about Nigeria’s data infrastructure, describing poor data quality as a fundamental barrier to effective national planning.
“We cannot talk about food or national security if we can’t accurately track school enrolments, population movements, or even count our children,” he said. “Development starts with credible data.”
In her remarks, Mojisola Saka emphasised that NESG’s mission extends far beyond hosting summits.
“We focus on follow-through. For example, policy conversations around the creative economy and sports development that began at past summits have evolved into government-backed frameworks,” she noted.
Saka highlighted how media engagement has helped transform Nigeria’s economic landscape in the past, citing improvements in sectors like telecommunications and banking that stemmed from consistent public discourse and policy dialogue.
“Today, we’re no longer debating call tariffs or queuing endlessly at banks,” she said. “We’re addressing more complex issues—like inclusive growth, fiscal discipline, and responsible leadership.”
The meeting concluded with a strong call to action for media institutions like The PUNCH to remain key partners in shaping Nigeria’s development narrative.
“We see the media not just as storytellers, but as partners in framing the policy dialogues that can chart a new course for Nigeria,” Saka said.
The NESG visit is part of a broader outreach campaign aimed at fostering strategic partnerships that support Nigeria’s economic transformation agenda.
