Tinubu to Nigerians: We Are Correcting Past Mistakes, Give Us More Time

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu to Nigerians: We Are Correcting Past Mistakes, Give Us More Time

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians to give his administration more time to complete its economic reforms, assuring citizens that the difficult phase of stabilising the economy is giving way to a new focus on growth, production and shared prosperity.

Tinubu made the appeal through the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who represented him at a special Juma’at prayer at the National Mosque in Abuja as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

The President urged Nigerians not to lose hope in the country’s recovery, saying the government was working to correct what it described as longstanding structural and fiscal problems inherited from previous administrations.

Abbas conveyed Tinubu’s message that Nigerians had made significant sacrifices and should continue to give the administration the opportunity to complete its reform programme.

The President said Nigeria was on the right path, adding that there was light at the end of the tunnel and that peace and development were returning to the country.

The appeal comes more than three years after Tinubu introduced some of his administration’s most significant economic measures, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and changes to the foreign-exchange system.

The reforms have also included changes to the tax system, efforts to improve government revenue, measures to attract investment and programmes aimed at expanding domestic production.

The Federal Government has argued that the measures were necessary to address longstanding fiscal and economic distortions, although they have also been accompanied by significant adjustments in the cost of living.

Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris said Nigeria was moving from the difficult phase of reform and stabilisation towards growth, production and shared prosperity.

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Idris cited official economic data showing that Nigeria’s real GDP grew by 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 4.23 per cent in the corresponding period of 2025.

He also pointed to improvements in foreign reserves, domestic refining capacity, investment and productive activity as indicators the government considers evidence of progress.

The minister further highlighted Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List and its return to the JP Morgan Emerging Markets Bond Index after 11 years.

According to the Federal Government, the next phase of the reform programme is focused on ensuring that improvements in economic indicators translate into tangible benefits for households, including jobs, higher incomes, access to education and credit, lower costs and wider economic opportunities.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume said the government’s task was now to consolidate the gains from the reforms and ensure that ordinary Nigerians benefited from the resulting economic opportunities.

He said the Federal Government was mobilising revenue, improving public finances and implementing programmes covering infrastructure, agriculture, education, healthcare and social protection, while stressing the need to protect vulnerable Nigerians.

The government has also continued to defend the removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing that the policy freed resources that could be redirected towards development and public services.

Tinubu, in his third-anniversary address in May, said the country had faced substantial fiscal pressures, unsustainable fuel subsidies, exchange-rate distortions and declining revenues when his administration took office.

He acknowledged that the reforms had imposed sacrifices on families, workers and businesses but argued that the decisions were necessary to prevent deeper fiscal and economic problems.

The President also cited progress in infrastructure, oil and gas, domestic refining, agriculture, education, housing, healthcare and telecommunications.

According to Tinubu, more than 2,700 kilometres of highways and major roads were under construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation, while rail projects were also being advanced.

He further highlighted increased domestic refining capacity and said the government was working to reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and conserve foreign exchange.

On education, Tinubu said the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had provided more than 1.5 million students with access to higher education, while the government had also expanded consumer credit and housing initiatives.

The President said the administration’s next priority was to ensure that the benefits of the reforms were felt more directly in the daily lives of Nigerians.

The government has particularly emphasised food production, transportation costs and employment as areas where economic improvements should become more visible.

The Federal Government has also promoted compressed natural gas and electric vehicles as part of its efforts to reduce transportation costs and lessen dependence on petrol.

In agriculture, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Abubakar Kyari said improved access to farmland in previously affected areas, alongside government support for fertiliser and improved seeds, was contributing to increased production.

However, the government has acknowledged that significant challenges remain.

Idris said the country had not completely resolved its security challenges, although he said the government had increased investment in equipment, intelligence, personnel and inter-agency coordination.

The reform programme also continues to attract public debate because of its impact on household finances, with Nigerians still dealing with the effects of food prices, transportation costs and other living expenses.

The administration’s stated objective is therefore to move beyond macroeconomic stabilisation and ensure that improvements in GDP growth, public finances, investment and production translate into better living standards.

Tinubu’s latest appeal for patience comes as Nigeria prepares to mark 66 years of independence, with the Federal Government using the anniversary to highlight both the country’s challenges and its reform agenda.

The theme of the government’s anniversary programme is “From Reforms to Stability: Consolidating Nigeria’s Renewed Hope for Shared Prosperity.”

The anniversary programme includes the Juma’at service, a church service, an Independence Day public lecture and a nationwide broadcast by President Tinubu on October 1.

As the administration moves into the next phase of its programme, Tinubu is asking Nigerians to remain patient while the government works to translate its stated economic gains into greater prosperity, employment, lower costs and improved opportunities.

The extent to which those reforms produce measurable improvements in the daily lives of Nigerians is expected to remain a central issue as the country moves towards the next phase of the administration’s economic programme.