Vice President Kashim Shettima has made a strong case for global migration, saying nations and cities around the world have historically been shaped not only by indigenous populations but also by immigrants.

Shettima argued that migration remained a major driver of development, innovation and economic growth, stressing that countries could benefit significantly from the skills, businesses, knowledge and ideas migrants bring to their host societies.

The Vice President spoke on Saturday during a meeting with the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on the sidelines of the ongoing BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, India.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima cited the achievements of Nigerians in the diaspora as evidence of the positive contributions migrants make to countries of destination.

“Nations are built by immigrants. Even cities are built by people who came from outside, not just by the locals. That goes to show that we have so much to gain from global migration,” he said.

Shettima highlighted the educational and professional accomplishments of Nigerians living abroad, particularly in the United States.

He cited a recent Pew Research Center analysis of 2024 US Census Bureau data, which found that 67 per cent of Nigerian-born Black immigrants aged 25 and above in the United States held at least a bachelor’s degree—the highest proportion among the major Black immigrant groups examined.

The Vice President also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the WTO and the multilateral trading system, insisting that no country could afford to isolate itself from the global community.

He pledged Nigeria’s continued support for the WTO’s efforts to strengthen multilateralism and promote an international system based on cooperation rather than isolation.

“I believe the world is greater than one nation. We will continue to support the WTO in championing the cause of multilateralism. We are essentially one human family and interconnected. You cannot divorce yourself from the global community,” Shettima said.

He also commended Okonjo-Iweala for her leadership of the WTO, urging her to continue deploying her experience and expertise to advance global development.

“You are doing a very wonderful job at the WTO, but you still have a lot to contribute to humanity,” he told the WTO chief.