Nigeria @66: Nigeria’s Situation Was Darker Than Ever by 2023 — Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has said Nigeria’s situation had become “darker than ever” by 2023, when his administration assumed office and began implementing major economic reforms.

Tinubu made the statement on Thursday in his Independence Day address to Nigerians as the country marked its 66th anniversary.

The President said poverty was rising and that the country had reached a point where difficult decisions could no longer be avoided.

According to him, successive administrations had postponed difficult economic choices, allowing structural problems and distortions to deepen over time.

He compared Nigeria’s economic situation to that of a patient diagnosed with a serious illness who must undergo painful treatment to recover.

Tinubu said his administration chose to confront the underlying problems rather than continue with policies that, in his view, merely provided temporary relief.

He specifically pointed to the removal of the petrol subsidy and reforms to the foreign exchange market as measures taken to address what he described as longstanding economic distortions.

“The reforms that followed were difficult. The side effects were real,” the President said, while arguing that the reforms themselves did not create the weaknesses in the economy but were intended to address them.

Tinubu said the government had since recorded improvements in several economic indicators.

He said the economy had grown by more than four per cent in 2026, with contributions from both the oil and non-oil sectors. He also highlighted lower inflation from its peak, improved foreign reserves and greater stability in the foreign exchange market.

The President further said Nigeria recorded more than $6 billion in non-oil export revenue in 2025, which he described as the highest in the country’s history.

Tinubu acknowledged that millions of Nigerians were still struggling with food costs, school fees, medical bills and transportation expenses.

He said these challenges had accumulated over decades and could not be eliminated within a single administration.

The President said the government’s focus was now shifting from economic stabilisation to shared prosperity, with emphasis on lowering production and transportation costs, creating jobs, expanding industrial activity and improving access to credit.

He also highlighted government programmes targeting education, healthcare, social protection and consumer credit.

Tinubu said the reforms were intended to create a stronger foundation for long-term growth and urged Nigerians to remain committed to the country’s future.

He declared that the government had moved beyond what he described as the emergency phase of economic reform and was now focused on translating economic stability into improved living standards.