There is a moment in every country’s journey when policy choices become more than technical decisions—they become tests of trust, patience, and shared purpose. That was the underlying message Vice President Kashim Shettima delivered to a room full of business leaders, professionals, and media practitioners at the Duke’s Masterclass 2026 in Abuja. He did not simply defend the Federal Government’s economic reforms; he asked the people in that room to become translators of those reforms for ordinary Nigerians. His speech was less about announcing new policies and more about how to build understanding around the difficult decisions already being made. Shettima’s point was straightforward: the success of the reforms depends not only on what government does, but on how well citizens understand why these changes are happening and what they are meant to achieve. He called on the private sector, the media, and the professional class to step forward and help explain the direction of the economy, while also listening to the frustrations of people who feel the weight of these changes every day. He acknowledged that no reform is painless, and that the government must do far more than issue statements. It must show credible evidence of progress, admit the human costs, and remain open to the lived experiences of those most affected. In his words, “The task is not merely to announce policies; it is to build understanding, confidence, and a shared sense of national purpose.” It was a call for empathy as much as economics.
At the heart of Shettima’s address were the major reforms currently reshaping Nigeria’s economic landscape: the removal of fuel subsidies, the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market, fiscal restructuring, and broader efforts to increase government revenue. He described these steps as necessary if Nigeria is to build a stronger, more competitive economy that can support investment, job creation, and sustainable growth. But he also stressed that these policies cannot succeed in a vacuum. They require a public that understands their purpose and a business community that supports their implementation. The vice president urged professionals, especially those in the middle class, to take an active role in explaining economic developments to traders, graduates, and everyday citizens. He was careful to say that this responsibility is not about blindly defending every government decision, nor is it about dismissing legitimate complaints. Rather, it is about encouraging informed conversations based on facts and a real understanding of how the economy works. He gave a concrete example: when speaking with a trader, one should explain the opportunities that economic stability can create while still acknowledging the pressures of daily business. When engaging a young graduate, one should encourage enterprise and innovation while recognising the urgency of employment. This balanced approach, he argued, is what good governance requires. Constructive criticism is welcome, but criticism that is not grounded in understanding can easily become destructive. Citizens who grasp where the economy is headed will be better equipped to participate in emerging opportunities and to hold their leaders accountable in a meaningful way.
The vice president also turned his attention to a danger that is becoming harder and harder to ignore: the speed and scale of misinformation in the digital age. He warned that artificial intelligence has made it frighteningly easy to manipulate photographs, clone voices, and produce fake videos that can damage reputations and mislead millions of people within minutes. He put it vividly: “Today, a rumour can travel from one phone to a million phones before the person concerned has finished breakfast.” Nigeria’s expanding digital communication networks have created real opportunities for businesses, financial services, young people, and public participation, but the same platforms can be weaponised to spread falsehoods and manipulate public opinion. Shettima urged public institutions and businesses to strengthen their capacity to verify information, correct false reports quickly, and communicate through channels that people actually trust. He also cautioned against rushing to deny allegations without first establishing the facts, noting that an inaccurate response can damage an organisation just as much as a delayed one. “The guiding principle should be simple: verify before publishing, correct mistakes transparently, communicate with empathy, and allow evidence to speak,” he said. He encouraged Nigerians to develop the habit of questioning sensational reports before sharing them, because the ability to verify information is becoming just as important as access to it. In an environment where lies travel faster than the truth, he said, every citizen has a responsibility to slow down, think, and check before amplifying anything.
Beyond the urgent task of protecting truth, Shettima painted a picture of Nigeria’s economic potential that was both hopeful and realistic. He highlighted considerable opportunities in banking, financial technology, oil and gas, agriculture, commodity exports, real estate, construction, and the creative industry. The country’s young population, entrepreneurial energy, financial sector, and rapidly expanding digital economy provide important foundations for growth. But he insisted that these opportunities can only be fully harnessed if the country addresses its long-standing infrastructure gaps: reliable electricity, efficient transportation, improved security, accessible financing, better education, and stronger public institutions. He called for increased local production, greater exports, productive investments, and stronger support for small businesses so they can grow into larger enterprises. He also made a point that is often missing from economic discussions: growth must not remain concentrated among a limited section of society. Women, young people, and rural communities must be able to share in the benefits of economic progress. Government, he said, has a responsibility to create the conditions for growth. The private sector must invest and innovate. But professionals, and especially those gathered at the masterclass, have a special responsibility to connect policy with public understanding, ambition with action, and opportunity with participation. It was a reminder that economic reform is not just a technical exercise; it is a social contract that requires trust, communication, and inclusion.
That same theme of trust and responsibility carried through the remarks of other leaders at the event. Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, Chairman of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, warned that organisations and their leaders must prepare for crises long before they happen. In a world of rapid digital communication, economic disruptions, geopolitical tensions, and changing public expectations, leadership has become much harder. Reputations built over decades can suffer serious damage within hours. Ashiru acknowledged that leaders cannot always prevent crises, especially those caused by forces beyond their control, but their ability to respond with courage, sound judgment, transparency, and integrity will determine how much damage their organisations suffer. He observed that in a crisis, employees look for reassurance, investors look for confidence, regulators demand accountability, citizens expect answers, and the media seeks information. Reputation, he argued, cannot be created at the point of crisis; it is the product of years of decisions, conduct, and consistency between promises and actions. Communication matters, he said, but “communication without credibility is rarely sustainable.” He also called for greater recognition of Nigerian business and leadership experiences in international institutions, recalling a moment at Harvard where he challenged the dominance of American and European business cases. Nigerian companies have valuable lessons to offer global management education. Kola Adesina, Chairman of AXA Mansard and Group Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, went even further by arguing that integrity matters more than reputation because it is the foundation on which lasting public confidence is built. Reputation, he said, is shaped by everyday actions—how people treat others, how they respond to failure, how they keep promises, and how they conduct business when no one is watching. He warned business leaders against compromising product quality, misleading customers, or manipulating financial records for short-term gains. Using Nigeria’s electricity industry as an example, he said customers simply want reliable power supply, not explanations about technical difficulties. Businesses and public institutions must be judged by the quality of services they provide. He also warned public officials against inflating the cost of government projects for personal gain, because such practices lead to poor infrastructure, unsafe roads, and inadequate healthcare, with ordinary Nigerians bearing the consequences. Public office, he insisted, should be treated as an opportunity to serve, not a means of accumulating wealth.
The event also drew on lessons from international diplomacy. A former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, shared reflections from his years mediating conflicts and promoting democratic governance. He recalled that when he was elected to lead the Commonwealth in November 1989, he committed himself to promoting democracy and helping resolve conflicts among member countries. At that time, at least ten Commonwealth countries were under one-party systems, military governments, or absolute monarchies. He engaged leaders in Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, and Seychelles, encouraging them to move toward multiparty democracy. He also played a role in the negotiations to end apartheid in South Africa between 1991 and 1993, including a tense moment when the talks nearly collapsed after the massacre of four ANC supporters at Boipatong. Anyaoku travelled from London to South Africa, worked to find Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who was staying under the assumed name Mr. Rogers, and eventually secured his agreement to a memorandum that kept the process alive. Those talks produced an agreement in November 1993, paving the way for democratic change. He also recounted an intervention in Bangladesh, where a political standoff between Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and opposition leader Sheikh Hasina had paralysed the country with strikes. Through patient diplomacy, he helped bring the two leaders closer to agreement and appointed a representative to continue negotiations until closure was reached. His lesson was that leaders in conflict resolution must understand the issues deeply, study the personalities and interests of the opposing parties, and be cautious in communicating progress. Announcing developments prematurely can undermine the very negotiations they are trying to advance. Joseph Edgar, Chairman of the Duke of Shomolu Foundation and founder of the Duke’s Masterclass, explained that the programme was created to help individuals and organisations anticipate crises, prepare responses, and limit damage. He said the foundation remains committed to theatre and social cohesion but has added leadership development as another channel to empower citizens. He admitted that there is a crisis of leadership today, which is why the focus must also be on followership. Organisations should not wait until problems arise to decide how to communicate with the public, because poorly prepared statements can make a bad situation worse. The Duke’s Masterclass 2026, held at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja under the theme “Penetrative Leadership: Definitive Strategies in Robust Crisis and Reputational Management in an Increasingly Chaotic World Order,” brought together executives, officials, diplomats, and communicators to examine these issues. The organisers announced that the Abuja edition was just the beginning, with plans to continue the programme in London next March. In the end, the message was clear: leadership is not about having all the answers, but about building trust through honesty, preparation, and a genuine commitment to the people one serves.