The Nigerian Economic Society (NES) has announced that Vice President Kashim Shettima and Dr. Iyabo Masha, Director of the Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four on International Monetary Affairs and Development (G-24), will be honoured with its 2025 Distinguished Fellow Award.
According to a statement released on Monday, the NES also disclosed that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Yemi Cardoso; Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives Company, Mr. Bismarck Rewane; and nine other distinguished professionals will receive the NES Fellow Award during its 66th Annual Conference scheduled to hold next Monday in Abuja.
The conference, which will gather top policymakers, academics, and business leaders, will focus on how Nigeria can pursue inclusive economic growth in the face of current challenges. The NES urged stakeholders to collaborate on rethinking development strategies with emphasis on investment-driven growth, regional integration, innovation, human capital development, and inclusive governance.
Vice President Shettima is expected to formally declare the conference open. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, will deliver the opening remarks, while Central Bank Governor Yemi Cardoso will give special remarks.
Dr. Iyabo Masha is being honoured by the NES for her outstanding contributions to global monetary affairs and her long-standing service to Nigeria’s economic development. Masha is widely respected for her expertise in macroeconomic policy, financial stability, debt sustainability, trade, and regional integration.
She joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2003 from the Central Bank of Nigeria, where she worked on monetary policy, reserve management, and research. At the IMF, she focused on macroeconomic and systemic risks, debt management, and strategies for long-term economic growth in emerging economies.
Dr. Masha has also served as a member of Nigeria’s Presidential Economic Advisory Council, where she provided technical advice on monetary and fiscal policy. In 2022, she was appointed Director of the G-24, making history as the first African to occupy the position since the group was founded in 1971. The G-24, headquartered in Washington, is a coalition of developing nations that coordinates their positions on global monetary, financial, and development issues to give them a stronger collective voice in international negotiations.
The NES said the awards and recognitions at the conference are meant to celebrate individuals who have made meaningful contributions to Nigeria’s economy and the global economic community. The society also noted that key deliberations and recommendations from the conference will be forwarded to the Federal Government and state governments for consideration and policy implementation.
Commenting on the importance of the gathering, NES leadership stressed that Nigeria must embrace new ideas and collective action to achieve economic stability and inclusive growth. The society emphasised that with global uncertainties and domestic economic challenges, now is the time for all stakeholders to work together in designing policies that will uplift citizens and foster development across all regions.
The annual conference of the NES has become a critical platform for dialogue on Nigeria’s economic direction, often providing recommendations that influence government policy. Past conferences have shaped debates on structural reforms, monetary policy, trade, and fiscal sustainability. This year’s edition, according to organisers, is expected to be particularly relevant given the reforms currently being pursued by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
With Shettima, Akume, Cardoso, and other notable figures scheduled to participate, the event is likely to generate wide-ranging discussions on how Nigeria can unlock growth potentials, strengthen its institutions, and better position itself in the global economy.
