In a stirring address marking three years in office, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has struck a defiantly hopeful tone, assuring Nigerians that the country’s current economic pains are the birth pangs of a stronger, fairer, and more united future.
Speaking to the nation on Friday, Tinubu acknowledged the deep sacrifices citizens have made since his administration launched tough reforms in May 2023—including the removal of fuel subsidies and exchange-rate overhauls. These measures, he insisted, were not acts of cruelty but lifesaving interventions to stave off fiscal collapse.
“History tests nations before it elevates them,” Tinubu declared. “Nigeria is passing through such a test. But I believe with all my heart that we shall emerge stronger, fairer, more united, and more prosperous than ever before.”
The president painted a stark picture of the mess he inherited: a daily subsidy bill of N18.4 billion at its peak, totaling over N4 trillion in 2022 alone. He also revealed that multiple exchange-rate windows and forex arbitrage had bled the country of more than N8 trillion in three years through speculation and rent-seeking. “Had we refused to act,” he warned, “our nation would have drifted toward fiscal breakdown, worsening poverty, and severe economic uncertainty.”
Despite the immediate shock of rising living costs, Tinubu pointed to signs of recovery. The Nigerian stock market has soared, with the All Share Index jumping from 53,000 in 2023 to 250,000 in 2026, and market capitalization swelling from N30 trillion to N160 trillion. Infrastructure is booming, with over 2,700 kilometers of highways—including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway—under construction. Rail modernization and oil sector reforms, he said, have attracted billions in fresh investment, including the nearing completion of the $5 billion NLNG Train 7 project.
On the social front, the president highlighted that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund has already disbursed over N282 billion to more than 1.5 million students, while the Renewed Hope Housing Programme is delivering 10,000 units across 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory, creating over 300,000 jobs. Thousands of primary healthcare centers are being revitalized, and digital infrastructure is expanding, making Nigeria “more competitive.”
Addressing the nation’s youth, Tinubu offered a personal pledge: “You are not a problem to be managed. You are the engine of Nigeria’s future.” On security, he acknowledged persistent challenges but assured that communities and highways are becoming safer, with the military intensifying operations against terrorists, bandits, and oil thieves.
Tinubu closed with a call for unity and resilience: “We must choose hope over despair, unity over division, and nation-building over narrow interests.” He urged Nigerians to keep faith, promising that the sacrifices of today will forge a Nigeria that is secure, prosperous, and respected worldwide.