By Barnabas Esiet.
Dr Muda Yusuf, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), has received the Economic Voice and Advocacy Personality of the Year Award at the 2026 Annual Conference and Awards of the Finance and Business Online Publishers Association (FiBOP) in Lagos.
The award recognises Yusuf’s outstanding intellectual leadership, objective analysis of economic policies and sustained advocacy for private sector development, as well as his contributions to national economic discourse.
A prominent voice in Nigeria’s economic policy space, Yusuf has consistently engaged policymakers, business leaders and other stakeholders on critical issues affecting the economy, offering insights into the challenges confronting enterprises and advocating practical solutions to stimulate investment and economic growth.
His recognition came at a time when Nigeria is pursuing an ambitious $1 trillion economy target, with questions surrounding productivity, investment, taxation, industrial development and private sector competitiveness taking centre stage in national economic discussions.
Interestingly, Yusuf also chaired the FiBOP conference, which focused on “Unlocking Nigeria’s Economic Potential: Taxation, Industry, Insurance, Fintech, Trade and Investment as Catalysts for a $1 Trillion Economy.”
In his opening remarks, he described the ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030 as achievable, but stressed that macroeconomic stability alone would not guarantee the transformation Nigeria needs.
According to him, the real challenge is translating improvements in macroeconomic conditions into stronger productive capacity, increased investment, higher productivity, quality employment and improved living standards.
“Macroeconomic stability is a necessary but insufficient condition for economic transformation,” Yusuf said.
He noted that recent improvements in foreign exchange market conditions, moderation in inflation and stronger investor confidence had provided a more encouraging foundation for economic growth.
However, he cautioned that Nigeria’s economic ambition should not be measured merely by an expansion in gross domestic product in nominal dollar terms.
He argued that the more fundamental objective should be to build a diversified, competitive and resilient economy driven by sustainable productivity growth and capable of delivering broad-based prosperity.
Yusuf also highlighted the interconnected roles of taxation, industry, insurance, banking, financial technology, trade and investment in driving Nigeria’s economic transformation.
He explained that these sectors were not isolated drivers of growth but interconnected pillars of productivity, enterprise development, competitiveness, economic diversification and capital formation.
Their ability to deliver meaningful economic impact, he added, would depend significantly on the quality of public policies, institutions and the country’s investment environment.
Through his leadership at CPPE, Yusuf has continued to advocate policies that promote enterprise development, improve the business climate and strengthen the capacity of the private sector to contribute to national development.
His approach combines economic analysis with constructive criticism of government policies, drawing attention to potential implications for businesses, investors and the wider economy.
The FiBOP award therefore underscores the importance of independent economic voices in shaping public policy, deepening understanding of economic challenges and promoting informed engagement between government and the private sector.
It also highlights the role of business journalism and online publishing in recognising individuals whose work contributes to economic knowledge, policy debate and the search for sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s development challenges.
As the country works towards its $1 trillion economy ambition, Yusuf’s recognition reinforces the importance of evidence-based advocacy, productive investment and coherent economic policies in unlocking Nigeria’s vast economic potential.
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