Tinubu: Nigeria Has Moved From Reform to Era of Prosperity
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that Nigeria has moved beyond the most difficult phase of his administration’s economic reforms, saying the country must now focus on delivering shared and widespread prosperity.
Tinubu made the declaration in his Independence Day address to Nigerians on Thursday, October 1, 2026, to mark the country’s 66th Independence Anniversary, with the theme, “From Reforms to Prosperity.”
The President acknowledged the economic difficulties Nigerians have faced over the years, including rising poverty, insecurity, economic crises and inadequate infrastructure, but said the country had continued to endure through the resilience and determination of its people.
He said his administration inherited an economy with deep structural challenges in 2023 and therefore had to take difficult decisions to correct what he described as long-standing economic distortions.
According to Tinubu, the reforms have produced improvements in key economic indicators, including economic growth of more than four per cent, reduced oil theft, lower inflation from its peak, rebuilt foreign reserves and greater stability in the foreign exchange market.
He also said Nigeria recorded more than $6 billion in non-oil export revenue in 2025, describing the figure as evidence of growing activity in the country’s non-oil sector.
The President said the government’s next priority is to reduce the cost of living by lowering the cost of producing and transporting goods, while improving agricultural productivity, infrastructure, industrial capacity and access to finance.
He said the government would expand mechanised irrigation and dry-season farming, improve access to seeds and fertiliser, strengthen mechanisation, and invest in storage and transportation.
Tinubu also highlighted ongoing investments in roads, railways and ports, saying improved infrastructure would help connect farms and factories to markets and reduce the cost of doing business.
On employment, the President said jobs, enterprise and industrial growth would remain central to government policies, particularly as millions of young Nigerians enter the workforce each year.
He said the government would leverage Nigeria’s gas resources to support new industries, revive factories, expand digital connectivity, improve technical skills and provide businesses with infrastructure and financing needed to grow.
Tinubu also acknowledged that millions of Nigerians continue to struggle with food, education, healthcare and transportation costs, noting that their challenges predated the current reforms and reflected the accumulated effects of decades of low productivity, inadequate infrastructure and limited opportunities.
He said the Federal Government was strengthening social support programmes, including the National Social Register, to ensure assistance reaches vulnerable households.
The President also cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, CREDICORP, primary healthcare and basic education initiatives as part of measures aimed at supporting Nigerians while creating conditions for broader economic prosperity.
According to him, the objective of these programmes is not merely to manage poverty but to create an economy capable of lifting Nigerians out of poverty through sustained growth and productive opportunities.
Tinubu said Nigeria had now reached a turning point, arguing that the country had laid the foundation for long-term economic growth after confronting difficult structural challenges.
“The age of reform has done its work. Now begins the age of prosperity,” the President declared.
He called on Nigerians to look ahead with renewed confidence and work collectively towards building a country where prosperity is broadly shared and every child has the opportunity to fulfil his or her potential.
Tinubu concluded by urging Nigerians not to look back but to move forward together, with faith in themselves and in the future of the country.
“Happy Independence Day, my fellow Nigerians. God bless you all, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Tinubu: Nigeria Has Moved From Reform to Era of Prosperity