INDEPENDENCE DAY: President Tinubu Says Nigeria Has Corrected Its Course, Declares Age of Prosperity Begins
*ABUJA* – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said Nigeria has passed through its most difficult economic reforms and is now entering an “age of prosperity” focused on shared growth and lower cost of living.
In a national broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary on October 1, the President said the country had endured war, military rule, economic crises, insecurity and political upheaval, but survived through the resilience of its people.
He noted that for decades, difficult economic decisions were postponed, leading to rising poverty and deep distortions by 2023.
“Nigeria was like a sick patient who receives the terrible news that he has cancer. His doctor explains that the treatment will be difficult and painful, but that it offers a strong prospect of recovery,” Tinubu said. “For too long, Nigeria’s leaders chose morphine while praying for a miracle that never came.”
He said his administration chose to “excise the cancer” through reforms that were difficult but necessary. According to him, the side effects were real, but the reforms confronted weaknesses rather than create them.
The President cited improvements in the last three and a half years, including over 4 per cent economic growth this year, reduced oil theft, lower inflation from its peak, rebuilt foreign reserves, a stabilised foreign exchange market, and over $6 billion in non-oil export revenue recorded in 2025, the highest in the country’s history.
“International observers, journalists, NGOs and multilateral institutions can see the change. Each has concluded that our reforms have strengthened Nigeria’s economic stability and resilience,” he said.
Tinubu said the central task of government has now shifted from correcting the nation’s course to delivering widespread prosperity. He defined prosperity as a country where farmers can cultivate safely and earn decent returns, businesses have reliable power and access to credit, and young people can find productive work.
To achieve this, he said government is focused on mechanised irrigation, dry-season farming, improved access to seeds and fertiliser, and investment in roads, railways and ports to connect farms and factories to markets. He added that government will use gas to power new industries, revive factories, expand digital connectivity, and invest in skills development.
The President also acknowledged that many Nigerians still struggle with basic needs. He said government is strengthening direct support for the poorest households, improving the National Social Register, and expanding programmes such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and CREDICORP to provide access to education and consumer credit.
He said since 2023, salaries and pensions have been paid on time and in full, and the national pension program has been reformed to benefit retirees and the vulnerable.
“Our objective is not to manage poverty more efficiently. We will defeat it,” Tinubu said. “For the first time in decades, we embark on this task from a position of strength; with an economy whose fundamental direction has been corrected.”
He urged Nigerians not to look back, describing the period ahead as one in which the promise of the nation must become the lived experience of citizens.
“Nigeria has corrected its course. We have passed through our own Red Sea. This is not the time to look back. Let us go forward together, with faith in ourselves, faith in our country, and faith that the sacrifices we have made will yield their reward,” he said.
The President concluded by wishing Nigerians a Happy Independence Day.