By Our Reporter
The Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa, says sustainable national security, good governance and credible institutions are critical to Nigeria’s ambition of building a trillion-dollar economy.
Musa stated this while delivering a keynote address, titled “National Security: Pathway to a Trillion-Dollar Economy”, at the 56th Annual Accountants’ Conference of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in Abuja.
This is contained in a statement issued by Leah Katung-Babatunde, Special Assistant on Media to the minister, on Wednesday.
The minister said national security should extend beyond military operations and law enforcement to include the protection of human capital, critical infrastructure and the investment environment.
“No investor commits capital where lives and assets are not safe, and no economy grows beyond the reach of its security,” he said.
Musa acknowledged Nigeria’s security challenges, including attacks on communities, highway kidnappings and insurgent activities.
He, however, said ongoing operations by the Armed Forces of Nigeria were aimed at restoring stability across economic corridors, agricultural belts and industrial zones.
The minister outlined strategic priorities for linking security with economic growth to include protecting strategic economic assets, promoting good governance and human capital development.
Others, he said, were strengthening defence financial discipline, cybersecurity and financial intelligence, as well as building domestic defence industrial capacity.
Musa also announced plans to establish a joint implementation committee between the Ministry of Defence and ICAN to advance areas of collaboration proposed by the institute’s President, Hajia Queensley Seghosime.
He said the partnership would focus on specialised training in public financial management and accounting standards for military personnel.
It would also cover forensic accounting and financial intelligence to combat terrorism financing, alongside improved corporate governance and welfare schemes for veterans.
Musa commended ICAN for its commitment to fiscal discipline and transparency, saying effective security and sound financial management were essential to Nigeria’s long-term economic prosperity.
