Nigeria @66: Tinubu’s reforms yielding results, says Akume

As the nation marks its 66th independence anniversary, the Federal Government has said economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration since 2023 are yielding results, citing 4.2 per cent real GDP growth in the first half of 2026.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja at the 66th Independence Anniversary Lecture.

According to Akume, the nation was saved from imminent collapse by embarking on reforms that include the removal of the petrol subsidy, foreign exchange market reforms and fiscal changes.

The SGF said the reforms had begun to restore economic stability, while investments in infrastructure, agriculture, power, transport and security were also yielding gains.

He said, “This administration took office in 2023 and immediately took bold decisions needed to save the nation from imminent collapse.

“Such decisions include the removal of the petrol subsidy, unification of the foreign-exchange market, tax and other fiscal reforms. These were difficult decisions, but necessary to rebuild stability, and we have started enjoying the results.”

Citing World Bank data, Akume said Nigeria’s real GDP grew by 4.2 per cent in the first half of 2026, compared with 3.9 per cent in the corresponding period a year earlier.

He said, “According to the World Bank, Nigeria’s real GDP grew by 4.2 per cent in the first half of 2026, up from 3.9 per cent a year earlier, as business activity expanded. The task before us now is to ensure that growth translates into jobs and higher incomes for all Nigerians.”

The SGF said that the Tinubu government had recorded great strides in youth employment, security, health, education, infrastructure and agriculture.

On youth empowerment, the SGF said the government, in recognition of the fact that more than 60 per cent of Nigerians were under 25 years, expanded the Education Loan Fund so that millions of students could afford university and vocational studies.

“We are strengthening technical and vocational institutes to teach the skills that industry needs. Our young people are not just leaders of tomorrow – they are partners in building Nigeria today,” he said.

Akume also urged Nigerians in the diaspora to invest in the country, noting that they brought “not just remittances, but ideas, investments and pride.”

On healthcare and social protection, he said the government was equipping thousands of primary healthcare centres under the IMPACT initiative and expanding safety-net programmes, including NG-CARES Additional Financing, SOLID and HOPE.

He said the programmes, backed by World Bank and Federal Government funds, were aimed at providing cash transfers and essential services to vulnerable families.

On security, Akume commended the armed forces and said the government was improving equipment, intelligence and coordination through a new National Threat Assessment and five-year Strategic Defence Plan.

“Security and welfare of the people is the responsibility of government. Nothing matters more than the safety of our people. When communities have opportunities and trust in justice, crime and violence decline. In that sense, development and security go hand in hand,” he stated.

The SGF rallied leaders and citizens to back the present administration, expressing optimism that the country could achieve shared prosperity.

“We as leaders envision a Nigeria where a young graduate becomes an employer of labour; where a farmer can feed his family and sell surplus at market; where an entrepreneur can turn a small shop into a thriving enterprise; and where every child goes to a good school and sees a doctor when sick.

“We know the path will not be easy, but our goal is clear: shared prosperity for all Nigerians,” he added.

On infrastructure, the SGF said the government had invested heavily in improving connectivity, citing the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Abuja-Kano Highway, East-West Road, rail modernisation and port reforms.

“The country has, over the past three and a half years, witnessed massive investment in infrastructure and improvement in connectivity,” he stated.

Akume said the projects would improve trade routes and contribute to economic growth, while the government was also expanding mortgage finance to boost housing and employment.

On the power sector and alternative energy, he said the government had cleared legacy debts, increased investment and improved transmission and billing.

He said, “We have tackled the power sector’s problems by clearing legacy debts, increasing investment, and improving transmission and billing. We are also harnessing Nigeria’s abundant natural gas. Over 120,000 vehicles have been converted to Compressed Natural Gas, with more than 400 conversion centres and 90 fuelling stations nationwide.”

“This shift is cutting fuel costs for motorists and commuters. CNG buses now carry millions of passengers at fares far below those of petrol buses. We will not return to the ruinous petroleum subsidy regime of the past.”

On agriculture and food security, Akume reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring Nigerians “eat what we grow” by supporting mechanisation, irrigation, improved seeds, fertiliser, silos and local processing.

He said the World Bank had approved a $500m credit for the Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth project.

“I am pleased that the World Bank has approved a $500 million credit for the Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth (AGROW) project. This initiative will raise smallholder productivity, strengthen value chains, and improve food and nutrition security,” Akume announced.

Akpabio salutes founding fathers

The President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Godswill Akpabio, paid tribute to Nigeria’s founding fathers and fallen heroes, acknowledging their courage, labour and sacrifices in building and defending the country.

Akpabio, in a goodwill message issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, also urged Nigerians to sustain the values of love, unity and patriotism.

He said: “Sixty-six years ago, our national flag rose to proclaim the birth of an independent Nigeria. With it rose the hopes of millions: the hope of freedom, the dignity of self-government and the conviction that we could shape our own destiny. That flag still flies, and that promise still calls us forward.

“We honour our founding fathers and the generations whose courage, labour and sacrifice made this anniversary possible. They handed us a country to cherish and a future to build. May we prove worthy of their faith, and may our children inherit a Nigeria greater than the one entrusted to us.”

The Senate President also paid tribute to members of the Armed Forces and security agencies who lost their lives defending the country, saying their sacrifices gave meaning to Nigeria’s freedom and unity.

He said: “We salute our Armed Forces and security agencies, especially those whose lives were given in service to our country. We remember their families with gratitude and honour. Their sacrifice gives solemn meaning to the freedom and unity we celebrate.”

Akpabio said Nigeria’s 66-year journey had been marked by both achievements and challenges, but commended citizens for remaining resilient through difficult periods.

He said Nigeria’s “journey has known triumphs and trials, seasons of confidence and moments of uncertainty.

“Yet through them all, Nigerians have continued to strive, create, serve and believe. We celebrate that resilience today: the strength of a people whose hopes have survived every storm.”

The former Akwa Ibom State governor further urged Nigerians to strengthen national unity, saying the country’s diversity should remain a source of strength.

He said: “Our diversity enriches this inheritance. Across languages, cultures and faiths, we belong to one national family. Let this anniversary renew our affection for one another and remind us that the green-white-green shelters us all. The peace we preserve together is the foundation of the future we seek.”

On the role of the National Assembly under President Tinubu, Akpabio said lawmakers would continue to support measures aimed at strengthening the country and improving the lives of Nigerians.

He said, “As President Tinubu leads our country through this chapter, the National Assembly remains committed to supporting efforts that strengthen our nation and improve our people’s lives.”

“This anniversary renews our shared resolve to serve Nigeria with integrity, compassion and devotion.

“Fellow Nigerians, independence is an inheritance renewed by every generation. Let us celebrate with grateful hearts, extend hands of friendship and keep faith with the possibilities before us.

“Our past gives us perspective, our present gives us responsibility, and our future gives us purpose. Together, let us carry its promise into the future.”

Best days ahead – Yilwatda

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has urged citizens to remain hopeful and patriotic, expressing optimism that the country’s best days are ahead.

Yilwatda, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, commended Nigerians for their resilience, sacrifices and determination in overcoming the challenges confronting the nation.

He said it was noteworthy that Nigeria had, since independence, demonstrated the capacity to overcome adversity, reinvent itself and continue moving forward.

The statement read, “Prof. Yilwatda congratulates Nigerians at home and in the diaspora and commends citizens for their sacrifices, patience and determination in navigating the difficult challenges confronting the nation. Nigeria’s journey, since independence, has not been without difficulties, but the country has consistently demonstrated an extraordinary capacity to overcome adversity, reinvent itself and move forward.

“The administration of President Bola Tinubu inherited a difficult economic situation and took the politically difficult decision to undertake fundamental reforms designed to correct longstanding structural distortions and place the economy on a more sustainable footing. These include the removal of the petrol subsidy, reforms to the foreign-exchange market, efforts to strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation, monetary and fiscal reforms, and measures aimed at attracting investment and strengthening productive sectors of the economy.”

Yilwatda argued that there were signs of macroeconomic stabilisation following the reforms.

He said World Bank readings also affirmed that the nation’s economy was getting stronger.

He said, “The World Bank has reported stronger economic growth, improved fiscal and external positions, rising foreign-exchange reserves and a more stable foreign-exchange market as important outcomes of the reform programme.

“Nigeria’s real GDP grew by 4.2 per cent in the first half of 2026, according to the World Bank, while gross foreign reserves reached $51.9 billion at the end of July 2026.”

Yilwatda said progress in energy, investment, digital economy and social protection showed that the reforms were moving towards structural transformation, to create jobs, expand opportunities and improve living standards.

He said, “We acknowledge the progress that has been recorded and, more importantly, recognise that the work is not finished. Economic stabilisation will now translate more rapidly into improved household incomes, employment, food security and greater opportunities for our people.”

He assured Nigerians that the party would continue to support policies that promote economic growth, national security, social inclusion, investment and institutional development.

Nigeria underutilising potential – Olawepo-Hashim

A chieftain of the Accord, Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has said Nigeria’s prolonged underdevelopment is largely due to the underutilisation of its enormous human, natural and institutional potential, urging citizens to take greater ownership of the country’s future ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Olawepo-Hashim, in an Independence Day message, said Nigeria was not a poor country but had consistently failed to deploy its available capacity to drive transformation and improve the lives of its citizens.

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He identified poverty, human trafficking, insecurity, institutional capture, weakening of the civil service and the breakdown of security infrastructure among the factors holding the country back despite its abundant resources.

Hashim said, “Nigeria is not a poor country. We have behaved like a poor country because we have consistently underutilised the enormous capacity available to us.”

Hashim said the consequences of poor governance extended beyond economic statistics, affecting the security, dignity and future of ordinary Nigerians.

According to him, human trafficking, unemployment and insecurity thrive where citizens lack economic opportunities and institutions are too weak to protect vulnerable people.

“You cannot permanently defeat trafficking without defeating the conditions that make human beings vulnerable to trafficking,” Olawepo-Hashim said.

The Accord chieftain said Nigeria’s young population should be transformed from a development challenge into the country’s greatest economic advantage through skills, education, employment and productive opportunities.

“Our young population should be Nigeria’s greatest economic asset. We must give them the skills and opportunities to turn their energy into wealth,” he said.

He said the 2027 election should provide Nigerians with an opportunity to take greater responsibility for determining the country’s direction, urging voters to demand clear visions, measurable targets and accountability from political candidates.

“Nigeria belongs to Nigerians. We must stop behaving as spectators in the affairs of our own country,” Hashim said.

He said an Accord administration would target the transformation of Nigeria into a $4tn economy within eight years, driven by increased production, manufacturing, agriculture, energy, technology and services.

Hashim said Nigeria must move from an economy focused largely on distributing resource revenues to one that creates wealth through production and value addition.

He reiterated his proposal to raise Nigeria’s crude oil production to at least four million barrels per day within 24 months of an Accord administration.

According to him, the target would be pursued through the recovery of commercially viable shut-in oil wells, improved security, investment in production infrastructure, better crude evacuation and reforms to petroleum production costs.

He stressed that additional crude production must become a foundation for domestic industrialisation.

“Four million barrels a day cannot simply mean four million barrels exported. Nigerian crude must power Nigerian industry,” he said.

Hashim also reaffirmed his proposal for N605 per litre as the starting sustainable petrol price, with a longer-term objective of reducing the price towards N200–N300 per litre.

He said the policy would be based on lowering the actual cost of producing and delivering energy rather than returning to an opaque subsidy system.

The Accord chieftain said Nigeria must transform its oil and gas resources into the foundation of a globally competitive energy and industrial economy.

He proposed substantial expansion of crude production, refining, petrochemicals, gas processing, electricity generation, pipelines, storage and other energy infrastructure.

“Nigeria must stop exporting the raw material and importing the finished value. We must capture the value chain here,” he said.

Hashim argued that affordable and reliable energy would be central to reviving Nigeria’s manufacturing sector and reducing production costs across the economy.

He equally proposed making West African integration a central pillar of Nigeria’s foreign policy, arguing that the region represented a major opportunity for Nigerian economic expansion.

He said Nigerian manufacturers, farmers, energy companies, financial institutions and technology businesses should be positioned to serve a much larger integrated West African market.

“Our neighbourhood is not a burden; we are one family. West Africa is Nigeria’s strategic economic space,” he said.

Hashim said renewal of the civil service and public institutions would be equally important, arguing that ambitious economic targets could not be achieved without a competent and accountable state.

“We cannot build a $4tn economy with institutions that cannot perform. The Nigerian state itself must be rebuilt,” he said.

He said Independence Day should remind Nigerians that political independence must ultimately be matched by economic and institutional independence.

“The Nigeria we want cannot be outsourced. It cannot be imported. It must be built by Nigerians,” Hashim said.

He said the 2027 election gave Nigerians an opportunity to choose not merely a government but a national direction.

“We are offering the vision. We are offering the leadership. But the ultimate power belongs to Nigerians,” he said.

Hashim concluded that “our independence gave us ownership of Nigeria. It is time to exercise that ownership.”

‘Peace must prevail’

On its part, the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution urged Nigerians to renew their commitment to peace, unity and national development as the country marks its 66th Independence Anniversary.

The Director-General of the IPCR, Dr Joseph Ochogwu, argued that sustainable development could not be achieved amid violent conflicts, intolerance, hate speech, exclusion and mistrust.

Ochogwu said the anniversary provided an opportunity for Nigerians to reflect on the country’s journey since independence, celebrate its achievements and renew their commitment to building a peaceful, united, secure and prosperous nation.

He said, “IPCR notes that sustainable development cannot be achieved in an environment characterised by violent conflict, intolerance, hate speech, exclusion and mistrust. Consequently, the Institute calls on all Nigerians to make peacebuilding and peaceful coexistence a shared responsibility.”

The Institute urged political leaders, traditional and religious institutions, civil society organisations, the media, young people and other stakeholders to promote dialogue, tolerance and constructive engagement in addressing differences and resolving disputes.

With the 2027 general elections approaching, the IPCR stressed the need for peaceful political participation and responsible civic engagement, urging political actors to conduct their activities within the bounds of the law and democratic principles.

The IPCR DG further called on political actors and their supporters to “reject violence, inflammatory rhetoric, misinformation, disinformation and other actions capable of heightening tensions or undermining national cohesion.”

According to the institute, elections should be regarded not only as contests for political power but also as opportunities for citizens to exercise their constitutional rights and strengthen democratic governance.

The IPCR also acknowledged the sacrifices of security agencies and other peace actors working to protect communities and maintain national security.

It called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, security agencies, communities and civil society organisations to prevent and respond to emerging conflicts.

The institute further called for greater investment in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, early warning and early response mechanisms, youth empowerment, social inclusion and community resilience.

Ochogwu said addressing the root causes of conflict, including poverty, unemployment, exclusion and social injustice, remained critical to securing lasting peace.

He stated, “Nigeria’s diversity remained one of its greatest assets and its future would be better secured when citizens, irrespective of ethnic, religious, political, regional or social differences, regarded themselves as stakeholders in one national project.”

Ochogwu reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the government and other stakeholders in strengthening Nigeria’s peace architecture and promoting a culture of dialogue, tolerance and peaceful conflict resolution.

The institute urged Nigerians to recommit themselves to unity, justice, peaceful coexistence, responsible citizenship and national service as the country enters another year of nationhood.

He also urged Nigerians to work together in the spirit of “one nation, one people” to build a peaceful, inclusive and prosperous country for present and future generations.

Cleric demands value reorientation

The Founder and General Overseer, Holy Trinity Authority Prophetic Church International, Ado Ekiti, Prophet James Omitade, has said poor governance, poverty and suffering being experienced by Nigerians are products of endemic corruption and greed that have permeated the system.

The cleric said that patriotism, which was the hallmark of leadership and which the founding fathers promoted at independence on October 1, 1960, had since fizzled out, leaving many Nigerians exhibiting bad behaviour like banditry, kidnapping, insurgency and corruption.

Omitade stated this in his special message on Wednesday tagged, “Nigeria’s stunted growth, gains of greediness”, to commemorate Nigeria’s 66th independence anniversary.

He canvassed value reorientation among Nigerians to put the country back on the course of patriotism and selflessness.

Omitade said that for Nigeria to regain its respect, honour and economic strength globally, “there is a need for value reorientation among Nigerians to a situation where every Nigerian won’t be selfish, nor place personal aggrandisement over and above collective development.

“We are what we are financially, economically, politically and infrastructurally because all of us believe in ourselves more than the system. We believe in being a blessing to ourselves rather than being a blessing to our communities.

“Until we place collective development higher than personal development, this same poor scenario will continue to replicate itself. At independence, our founding fathers invented community development. They nurtured it. This is what we were known for, and it should be brought back to save us from this current bad situation”.

The cleric said it was baffling that God blessed Nigeria with abundant human and material resources, yet the majority of Nigerians faced a hard life.

Omitade, who said that Nigeria had unarguably made some progress since independence, harped on the need for the country to strive to attain the height expected of it, taking cognisance of the enormous natural endowments available to run the government.

He said, “It is a fact that Nigeria is blessed with abundant human and material resources for us to be great. But we mismanaged opportunities and truncated our journey to greatness. We are so immediate in thinking. Our leaders don’t care about the past, and the future has no meaning to us. We don’t plan for it.

“If they say we have made progress, yes, we do. But are we where we are supposed to be? No. Is this the kind of progress we are supposed to make? If they say, ‘ Are we patriotic? ‘ tell them patriotism is far from us.

“To some Nigerians, being patriotic means you are weak, unsmart, and not having a bright future because we are too immediate. Foresight is not in sight. These are our problems.”