Tinubu: Age of Reform Has Done Its Work, Nigeria Now Entering Age of Prosperity

Tinubu: Age of Reform Has Done Its Work, Nigeria Now Entering Age of Prosperity

ABUJA, Nigeria — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday told Nigerians that the country has corrected its economic course and is moving from painful macroeconomic restructuring to delivering tangible prosperity and a lower cost of living for ordinary households.

Speaking in a nationwide broadcast to mark Nigeria's 66th Independence Anniversary, the President declared that the "age of reform has done its work" and that the nation is now entering the "age of prosperity."

Responding to growing public anxiety over the high cost of living, Tinubu named price stabilisation, particularly for food and transportation, as the top priority of his administration in the next phase of governance. He ruled out any return to petrol or foreign exchange subsidies, describing past interventions as temporary measures built on weak foundations.

To bring down living costs, the President said the government would scale up dry-season farming, expand mechanised irrigation and speed up the rollout of gas-powered public transport networks.

He pointed to what he described as strong macroeconomic indicators as proof that the economy has stabilised. These, he said, include GDP growth of more than four per cent in 2026, gains in foreign direct investment and non-oil export earnings of over $6 billion.

Tinubu also urged state governments and citizens to prioritise "Made-in-Nigeria" goods, expand local processing and boost non-oil exports.

On poverty, the President said his government was aiming higher than relief. "Our objective is not to manage poverty more efficiently; we will defeat it," he said. He described social intervention schemes such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP) as bridges to sustained growth rather than permanent safety nets.

On security, the President commended the Armed Forces, saying ongoing military operations had restored peace to hundreds of liberated communities in the North-West and North-East, allowing farmers to return safely to their lands.

Reflecting on the road travelled, Tinubu said: "We have travelled through difficult years together. We have made hard decisions together. And now, still together, we must build the country those decisions have made possible. Nigeria has corrected its course... Our destination is in sight."

He closed the address with a call for discipline, unity and patience, and urged state governments and local authorities to work closely with the federal administration to ensure that the gains of reform reach communities at the grassroots.