ABUJA, 1 October 2026
In a nationwide broadcast marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary, President Bola Tinubu said the country has completed the painful correction of its economy and must now pursue broad-based prosperity. The address, titled From Reform to Prosperity, aired at 7 a.m. on national radio and television. It was Tinubu’s fourth Independence Day broadcast since taking office in May 2023.
A hard road, and a promise
The President began by recalling the day the Nigerian flag first flew over a sovereign nation, and the ambition that came with it: that a country of Nigeria’s size, resources, diversity and people could become a major power in Africa and beyond. He admitted that the road has been hard for most citizens, marked by war, military rule, economic crises, insecurity and political upheaval, but said the country has endured because of its people.
He singled out ordinary Nigerians for credit: farmers working before dawn, traders opening shops each morning, teachers committed to their pupils, young entrepreneurs, and soldiers and security personnel who put themselves in danger. He described independence as a pledge that Nigerians would shape their own destiny, and said it is now this generation’s duty to make good on it.
The case for the reforms
Tinubu then said Nigerians must speak frankly about the choices that brought the country to this point. By 2023, he said, poverty was rising and hope was fading.
His central argument was an analogy. A patient told he has cancer can accept painful treatment with a real chance of recovery, or ask only for pain relief and let the disease spread. Previous leaders, he said, took the second path, treating symptoms, spending heavily to prop up arrangements that were never sustainable, and handing the costs to later generations. His administration took the first. He acknowledged that the side effects were real, but argued that the reforms did not cause the economy’s weaknesses and instead confronted them.
He used the same framing to answer critics. He accused “influential but regressive voices” of wanting to bring back fuel subsidies, and urged Nigerians to resist them.
The evidence the President offered
Tinubu said Nigeria’s improved outlook is clear after three and a half years. He cited:
- economic growth of more than 4 per cent this year, driven by both oil and non-oil sectors;
- a decline in oil theft;
- inflation that has fallen sharply from its peak;
- rebuilt foreign reserves and a more stable foreign exchange market;
- record non-oil export earnings in 2025 of more than $6 billion;
- rising foreign direct investment each year.
He said international observers, journalists, NGOs and multilateral institutions have reached the same conclusion, and that the private sector has already given its verdict. He also said salaries and pensions have been paid on time and in full since 2023, and that the national pension programme has been reformed.
From correction to prosperity
Tinubu called this a turning point. The “emergency treatment” is over and the foundation has been repaired, he said, so the government’s goal now shifts from correcting the country’s course to widely shared prosperity. He defined that as something concrete rather than a bigger GDP: a farmer who can work safely and earn a fair return, factories with reliable power, businesses with access to credit, young people with productive jobs, and families who can afford food, transport and education.
Three priorities
Lower living costs. The government plans to reduce the cost of producing and moving goods. Measures include expanded mechanised irrigation and dry-season farming, better access to seeds and fertiliser, more mechanisation, and investment in storage and transport. He said the roads, railways and ports under construction will link farms and factories to markets, and that the savings should eventually show up in market prices.
Jobs and industry. He called Nigeria a young country whose demographic strength must become an engine of production rather than frustration. He pledged to use the country’s gas to power new industries, support efforts to revive factories, extend digital connectivity to underserved communities, and invest in skills employers need. He said he wants to see more Nigerians making things, and Nigerian products sold worldwide.
Support for those who cannot wait. Tinubu conceded that many families still struggle with meals, school fees, medical bills and transport costs, and said their hardship predates his reforms. He pointed to stronger direct support for the poorest households, an improved National Social Register, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund for students from low-income families, and CREDICORP, a scheme giving working Nigerians consumer credit for items such as vehicles and solar systems. He also promised to work with states and local governments on primary healthcare and basic education. These programmes, he said, are a bridge toward prosperity, not a substitute for it.
He offered no specific targets or timelines, and he warned that defeating poverty will take years of sustained growth and discipline.
“No looking back”
Tinubu ended on a religious note. He said Nigeria has crossed its own Red Sea, with a “Promised Land” of abundance and opportunity ahead, where prosperity is shared, and every child can dream beyond the circumstances of birth. Calling the destination “in sight”, he urged Nigerians to move forward together with faith in themselves and in the country.
Early reactions
Responses to the address were still emerging at the time of writing, and the reactions available so far reflect the wider mood around the anniversary rather than direct replies to the broadcast.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, now the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, voiced hope for the country’s future while raising concerns about the state of the nation. In a statement issued the day before, he called on the Tinubu administration and state governments to stop issuing condolences and instead make life affordable for Nigerians.
This report will be updated with responses to the address as they come in.
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