Tinubu Hails Nigerians’ Endurance, Declares “The Worst is Over”

…Pledges New Dawn of Prosperity at Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day

By Franklin Adole, Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday used his Independence Day broadcast to assure Nigerians that the pains of his sweeping economic reforms are easing and that the country has “turned the corner” toward lasting prosperity. Addressing the nation on its 65th anniversary of self-rule, Tinubu acknowledged the difficulties Nigerians have endured since he came to power on May 29, 2023, but insisted that his policies were saving the economy from collapse and laying a new foundation for growth.

“This is the third time I will address you on our Independence anniversary since I assumed office as your President,” Tinubu said in his nationally televised broadcast. “In the last 28 months of my administration, like our founding fathers and leaders who came before me, I have committed myself irrevocably to the unfinished nation-building business. I am pleased to report that we have finally turned the corner. The worst is over, I say. Yesterday’s pains are giving way to relief.”

The President anchored his speech on a message of hope, calling on citizens to draw strength from the sacrifices of Nigeria’s founding leaders, figures such as Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa, Margaret Ekpo, and Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti; while rallying the present generation to continue their work of building a prosperous, self-reliant nation.

Tinubu defended his early decisions to remove fuel subsidies and unify multiple exchange rates, calling them necessary to halt what he described as a near-collapsed economy inherited from decades of distortions. He said the moves freed up trillions of naira that are now being directed to education, healthcare, agriculture, security, and infrastructure. He also claimed that more funds are now available to state and local governments, allowing resources to “reach the people at the lower level of the ladder.” “Yesterday’s subsidies and rentier privileges benefited only a tiny minority,” he said. “Today, our Commonwealth is being channelled toward the common good.”

The President listed what he called 12 major economic milestones achieved in the last two years, including GDP growth of 4.23% in the second quarter of 2025, the fastest in four years; inflation down to 20.12% in August, the lowest in three years; non-oil revenues surpassing ₦20 trillion by August, with ₦3.65 trillion raised in September alone; external reserves rising to $42 billion, the strongest since 2019; a trade surplus of ₦7.46 trillion, with manufactured exports up 173%; and oil output climbing to 1.68 million barrels per day, alongside domestic PMS refining for the first time in four decades. He said the naira had stabilised after the turbulence of 2023 and 2024, credit rating agencies had upgraded Nigeria’s outlook, and the stock market was “experiencing an unprecedented boom.” He further noted that the Central Bank recently cut interest rates for the first time in five years in response to improved macroeconomic stability.

On security, Tinubu praised the armed forces for “winning the war” against Boko Haram in the Northeast, IPOB/ESN in the Southeast, and banditry across the Northwest, noting that peace had returned to hundreds of liberated communities. He used a significant portion of his speech to address young Nigerians, whom he called “the greatest assets of this blessed country.” He highlighted student loan disbursements through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), saying over 510,000 students had benefited from ₦99.5 billion in tuition loans and ₦44.7 billion in upkeep allowances. He also touted the administration’s consumer credit initiatives—Credicorp and YouthCred—as well as the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) programme, which he said would soon channel major international funding into technology and creative industries. “You must continue to dream big, innovate, and conquer new territories,” Tinubu told young people. “Our administration will continue to give you wings to fly sky-high.”

While the President acknowledged that reforms have brought “temporary pains” through higher prices and inflation, he urged Nigerians to be patient, insisting that the alternative would have been economic collapse. “The accurate measure of our success will not be limited to economic statistics alone, but rather in the food on our families’ tables, the quality of education our children receive, the electricity in our homes, and the security in our communities,” he said. Tinubu also appealed to states and local governments to join in the push for productivity, urging Nigerians to farm more, build factories, and prioritise Made-in-Nigeria goods. “Let us be a nation of producers, not just consumers. I say: Nigeria first,” he declared.

The President’s upbeat tone comes amid continuing hardship across the country, with food inflation, rising transport costs, and unemployment weighing heavily on households. Labour unions and opposition leaders have accused the administration of being out of touch with the suffering of ordinary Nigerians. But Tinubu insisted that sacrifice is part of the nation’s story and progress. He invoked Nigeria’s survival of civil war, military rule, and political upheavals as proof of resilience. “We weathered every storm and overcame every challenge with courage, grit, and uncommon determination,” he said.

The President closed his speech with an appeal for national unity and collective effort: “Let all hands be on deck. Let us believe, once more, in the boundless potential of our great nation. With Almighty God on our side, I can assure you that the dawn of a new, prosperous, self-reliant Nigeria is here.”

As Nigerians marked Independence Day with parades, prayers, and subdued celebrations in some cities, the President’s message of hope is expected to draw mixed reactions. For millions battling to afford food and fuel, Tinubu’s insistence that “the worst is over” will be tested against lived realities in the months ahead. Still, his call for patience, productivity, and renewed belief in Nigeria resonated as the key theme of the day: a promise of relief after sacrifice, and the possibility of renewal at 65.