‘I felt their yearning’ — World Bank president praises Nigerian entrepreneurs

Ajay Banga, World Bank president, says he feels the yearning among entrepreneurs in Nigeria to contribute to the growth of society.

Banga said this on Friday at the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Marrakesh, Morocco.

The World Bank president spoke about the challenges the world is facing and the contribution of developed countries, emerging markets and low-income nations.

“Looking across the world it is easy to be consumed by a sense of despair. Yet – in all corners of the globe, people are eager to go to work, and to create with their own hands. They want a better life for their children and grandchildren,” Banga said.

“I have felt that yearning among entrepreneurs in Nigeria, seen it in the proud eyes of artists in Indonesia, and touched it on the worn hands of farmers in Jamaica.”

During his speech, Banga also said Nigerians are among millions of people doing their best to be part of the solution.

“In Nigeria, shopkeepers are using solar power to keep their shops open late into the evening. In Indonesia, mangrove rehabilitation efforts are reducing carbon emissions, creating sustainable employment for women, and protecting communities from floods,” he said.

Banga said the world does not suffer from a shortage of solutions, but it is paralysed by a persistent lack of courage to pursue them.