President Bola Tinubu has blamed Nigeria’s development challenges on past administrations’ failure to implement serious long-term planning frameworks. Speaking at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday, the president hosted a delegation of Enugu State stakeholders led by Governor Peter Mbah.
Mr Tinubu said successive governments had attempted to finance long-term projects with short-term resources, creating a mismatch that hindered sustainable development. “What has been the problem in the past is Nigeria trying to finance long-term projects with short-term funding,” he said. “We have not embarked upon serious long-term outlook for our country.”
The president expressed optimism that with committed and visionary leadership at subnational levels, Nigeria was on the right trajectory toward becoming a leading African nation. He commended Governor Mbah for what he described as transformative leadership in Enugu, citing visible improvements in security, infrastructure, education and healthcare as evidence that reforms were yielding results.
“The results you have outlined are not abstract. They are evidence that reform is working and that difficult decisions are yielding real outcomes,” Mr Tinubu said. He assured the delegation of continued collaboration between the Federal Government and states to drive development, saying projects such as the Port Harcourt–Enugu rail line, power sector reforms and other infrastructure would receive sustained attention.
The president stressed the need for collective efforts across all tiers of government. “It’s not a one-man orchestra. It’s a collective effort at the national, subnational and local government levels,” he said. He urged state leaders to extend development initiatives to local governments for broader impact.
Earlier, Governor Mbah said the visit was to appreciate Federal Government’s interventions in the state and reaffirm support for Tinubu’s administration. He listed the concessioning of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, establishment of the South East Development Commission, and ongoing road and rail projects as key interventions.
According to the governor, reconstruction of sections of the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway and progress on the Enugu–Onitsha road have improved connectivity. He added that planned completion of the Port Harcourt–Enugu rail line would further boost economic activities in the region. Mr Mbah said security incidents in the state had reduced significantly, while investments in education, healthcare and infrastructure were improving livelihoods.
He reaffirmed the support of Enugu people for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election. Other members of the delegation included former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Sullivan Chime, Chief Jim Nwobodo and Fr. Ejike Mbaka, among others.
