Nigeria: What Tinubu Told Nigerians On 66th Independence Anniversary

What the report says

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu used Nigeria’s 66th independence anniversary address on 1 October 2026 to say his government believes the country’s emergency economic phase has ended and that the next stage should focus on broad-based prosperity. The speech, published by Premium Times and carried by AllAfrica, was delivered in Abuja and framed as a reflection on Nigeria’s path since independence, including years of war, military rule, economic strain and insecurity.

Tinubu argued that his administration’s reforms were needed to confront long-standing distortions in the economy, and he said the country was now seeing signs of improvement. He pointed to stronger growth, lower oil theft, easing inflation, rebuilt foreign reserves, a more stable exchange market and higher non-oil export revenue. He also said the private sector and international observers had responded positively to the changes.

Looking ahead, the president said his priorities are reducing the cost of living, improving food production, expanding mechanized farming, strengthening transport links and supporting factories and businesses with power, credit, skills and infrastructure. He said the aim is to create jobs and make young Nigerians a productive force in the economy. More broadly, the address presented economic reform as a difficult but necessary transition from stabilization to wider development.