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Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Davos, Switzerland, to lead Nigeria’s delegation at the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum.

The forum, which brings together global political and business leaders, will be held from January 19 to 23, 2026.

Shettima arrived from Conakry, Guinea, where he represented President Bola Tinubu at the inauguration of President Mamadi Doumbouya on Friday.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, the VP was received on arrival by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; and officials of the Nigerian mission in Switzerland.

This year’s forum marks a milestone in Nigeria’s participation at the annual gathering, with the Federal Government establishing a dedicated sovereign pavilion on the Davos Promenade for the first time.

The facility, called “Nigeria House Davos,” was established through a Public-Private Partnership.

It will serve as a hub for ministerial engagements, investment roundtables, and cultural diplomacy throughout the week.

The Vice President is expected to commission the facility during his visit.

Speaking to journalists after Shettima’s arrival, Oduwole said Nigeria would make a robust presentation of investment opportunities at the launch of Nigeria House.

“We will be showcasing four playbooks on President Tinubu’s efforts in re-engineering the Nigerian economy,” she said, adding, “We will present our solid minerals sector, climate sustainability, agriculture, creative and digital sectors to investors from all over the world.”

According to Nkwocha, Shettima will present Nigeria’s 2026 economic outlook to global leaders during the forum.

He will also participate in plenary sessions focusing on the responsible deployment of Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology.

The Vice President is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with heads of state, executives from multinational corporations, and leaders of international development finance institutions throughout the week.

The World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos attracts thousands of participants, including heads of government, chief executives, civil society leaders, and journalists.

The 2026 edition is expected to focus on global economic challenges, technological innovation, and climate action.

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Top leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have ruled out the granting of automatic tickets to governors, including Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno, Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas, and Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who joined the party recently, as well as Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who is expected to join soon.

A member of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment on the issue, explained that defection from another political party to the APC does not guarantee an automatic ticket.

Supporting this position, the APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, described the ruling party as democratic and progressive, stressing that all members would be allowed to fully enjoy and exercise their rights.

Reacting, the National Publicity Secretaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ini Ememobong, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Oladipo Johnson, said the development was expected, adding that the governors involved had made the wrong decisions.

Among the PDP governors who have defected to the APC are Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State (South-South), Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State (South-South), Peter Mbah of Enugu State (South-East), Agbu Kefas of Taraba State (North-East), and, most recently, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State (South-South).

The APC leadership in Kano State has also indicated that the defection of the state governor is imminent.

Beyond the governors, several other prominent politicians—including members of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly, as well as former governors, former ministers, and other party leaders—have also defected from the PDP to the APC.

Although the defectors have given various reasons for joining the ruling party, some Nigerians argue that the real motive is to secure re-election to their respective offices.

Reacting, a member of the APC National Working Committee said the defections were driven by President Bola Tinubu’s numerous achievements, noting that it would ultimately be up to the people to decide on their re-election.

He said, “I believe it is wrong to assume that people are defecting solely to secure re-election. Many of those joining the All Progressives Congress are doing so because of the achievements of President Bola Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Agenda, which is delivering positive results across various aspects of national life.

“That said, it is important to recall that the APC, sometime last year, clearly stated its position and made it known that even the President would not be granted an automatic ticket, despite enjoying overwhelming support from the National Working Committee, members of the NEC, zonal leadership, and governors who have publicly declared their support should he choose to run again. However, this does not limit the contest solely to President Tinubu. The party has made it clear that the process will be open to any Nigerian who is a member of the APC and wishes to contest for the office of President.

“This same principle applies to all governors, whether they have been long-standing members of the party or recent entrants, including the governors of Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers states, and others. There will be no automatic tickets for any of them. They must contest and earn their tickets through the party’s democratic process. Their achievements in their respective states will be a major factor, as it is the party members who will ultimately decide who flies the APC flag.

“If party members support them and they emerge successful in the process, they become the party’s candidates. However, the APC will not arbitrarily hand over tickets to anyone simply because they are governors or because they defected to the party. That is not the party’s position or intention.

“Presently, the party continues to expand its membership, with new members joining almost daily. As such, all members will be given equal opportunity to aspire to any position. Ultimately, it is the party’s membership that will determine who emerges as candidates and, together with Nigerians at large, decide who governs at the state and national levels. As a party, we will continue to support our governors in appropriate ways, respect all members, and ensure that they enjoy their rights and privileges while fully participating in every stage of this democratic journey.”

Speaking further, the Director of Publicity, in another exclusive interview with The PUNCH, stated that automatic tickets are not being considered for any governor or holder of elective office.

Ibrahim added that the APC leadership is committed to ensuring a level playing field for all aspirants, irrespective of their status.

He said, “The issue of automatic tickets is not something that is on the table now, not just for Kano but for anybody. The party has not decided on giving anybody an automatic ticket, even in the case of the President.

“What the party said it would do, and did, was to give him a vote of confidence, in the event that he decides to enter the race for 2027 based on his performance. The party will support him, but it did not say it would stop other people from indicating interest or contesting alongside him.

“So they will be given their democratic right to contest. Now, if that position is true for the President, what about any other person below the President? The party has not looked into the issue of giving automatic tickets to governors and others. What the party has done, and still stands by, is that it will give a level playing field to everyone, regardless of status. Everyone will be given equal rights to contest.

“Where there is a need for consensus and consensus is reached, then the party will go for that option in order to have a friction-free election.”

Attempts to reach the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, for comments were unsuccessful, as his phone was switched off as of press time.

Reacting, the PDP Publicity Secretary said their regret was only beginning, adding that many of them would end up disappointed in the APC.

Ememobong, in an exclusive interview with our correspondent, said they abandoned the PDP for selfish reasons rather than in the interest of their people.

He said, “We have said it before that their defection is not in the interest of Nigerians or even the people they govern in their respective states. The move was purely driven by selfish motives.

“We also know that the APC is not a party that truly values its members, so this outcome was expected. We saw it coming, and this is only the beginning of their regret. The APC will continue to treat them as outsiders, and that is simply the reality.

“Over time, they will realise that their influence within the party is limited and their expectations of preferential treatment will not be met. Their constituents, too, may begin to question their decisions, seeing the long-term consequences of abandoning the party that initially supported them.”

The NNPP Publicity Secretary said they were not surprised, noting that the APC tempted them with numerous promises that were unlikely to be fulfilled.

He said, “Well, even before now, I had asked some of the governor’s aides in Kano State as well: what is your guarantee that you will secure a second-term ticket from the party you might be joining? We must also remember that the governor himself has not spoken up until today.

“As is usually the case in the APC, they try to lure you in, and once you are in, they do not provide the ground rules. By the time you realise, it becomes difficult to exit. We are not surprised because the APC will promise them many things, and they may not fulfil any of them.

“This situation is usually far from palatable for the governors, and it often leaves them frustrated, with their political expectations unmet and their ambitions constrained by party realities.”

(PUNCH)

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The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has been re-elected Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, a continental forum of African ministers responsible for minerals and mining, committed to coordinated action to maximise value addition and beneficiation from Africa’s mineral resources.

The re-election was confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori.

“The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has been re-elected Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, a continental ministerial forum of African ministers responsible for minerals and mining, committed to coordinated action aimed at maximising value addition and beneficiation from Africa’s vast mineral resources,” the statement partly read.

PUNCH Online reports that Alake was first elected as the pioneer chairman of the AMSG in 2024 on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum and retained the position at the group’s 2026 Annual General Meeting held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

As part of institutional reforms, the AGM approved the creation of additional leadership positions, including Vice-Chairman, Deputy Secretary-General and Financial Secretary, with the roles distributed across Africa’s sub-regions to promote inclusion and regional balance.

While the positions of Chairman and Vice-Chairman are elective and reserved for serving ministers, other positions are appointed by member states to which they are zoned.

Under the new structure, Alake continues as Chairman, representing West Africa. The Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Louis Watum Kabamba, was elected Vice-Chairman for Central Africa. Uganda retains the position of Secretary-General for East Africa, Mauritania was appointed Deputy Secretary-General for North Africa, while South Africa holds the position of Financial Secretary.

The AGM also ratified a two-year tenure for the executive committee and agreed that zoned positions belong to member countries, such that successors automatically assume the roles when ministers are replaced.

In his acceptance speech, Alake thanked his colleagues for the renewed confidence and called on African nations to deepen collaboration to unlock the continent’s economic potential through solid minerals development.

He urged member states to agree on minimum financial contributions and strengthen the group’s budgeting framework to improve operational efficiency.

“Once member states contribute, accountability will naturally follow. This will enhance transparency and strengthen the credibility of the AMSG before the global community,” he said.

The AGM also resolved to hold quarterly ministerial meetings and established standing committees, including Legal, Institutional Affairs and Human Resources; Sustainability and Responsible Mining; and Finance, Budget and Resource Mobilisation. Members also agreed on steps towards hosting a global minerals conference in Africa, similar to the Future Minerals Forum.

Speaking earlier at a leadership roundtable themed ‘Africa: Unlocking Infrastructure Funding for Copper-Belt Production’, Alake stressed that mineral production alone cannot deliver lasting economic transformation without reliable infrastructure, coordinated policies and deliberate value-addition strategies.

“The real question is not whether Africa has corridors, but whether these corridors are being financed, governed and structured to support industrial growth, regional integration and long-term stability. What matters is how financing is designed to reduce risk, attract private capital and sustain commercial viability while advancing national and regional development objectives,” he said.

Alake cited successful models such as the Lobito Corridor in Angola and highlighted other opportunities, including the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor, the Walvis Bay Corridor, and the Dar es Salaam and Central Corridors. He emphasised the need for aligned rail, port, power and industrial planning to unlock capital at scale.

He also noted that offtake arrangements, harmonised regulatory frameworks and clearly defined industrial clusters are critical to attracting investment along Africa’s mineral corridors.

“The broader vision of the AMSG is to ensure that Africa’s mineral infrastructure is strategically designed, responsibly financed and efficiently managed in a rapidly evolving global environment, not to discourage investment, but to ensure it aligns with long-term stability, transparency and shared economic prosperity,” Alake added.

Formed in 2024, the Africa Minerals Strategy Group serves as a platform for policy coordination, knowledge sharing and joint action among African states to strengthen the mining sector.

It brings together ministers from across the continent to harmonise strategies for industrial development, regional integration and infrastructure investment, as Africa seeks to move beyond raw mineral exports to higher-value processed products.