President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his 65th Independence Anniversary broadcast on Wednesday, paid tribute to Nigeria’s founding fathers while defending his administration’s tough economic reforms.
He admitted that Nigerians are “racing against time” to fix decades of underinvestment in power, roads, and infrastructure but assured that the country has “turned the corner” toward recovery.
Tinubu pledged more support for youth, security, and social welfare, stressing his vision of a prosperous, self-reliant Nigeria.
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The president honoured nationalist leaders like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, and Margaret Ekpo, reaffirming their dream of a prosperous and united nation. He highlighted progress since 1960, citing the growth of secondary schools from 120 to over 23,000 and tertiary institutions from two to more than 690.
Acknowledging that his administration inherited a weak economy, Tinubu justified ending fuel subsidies and unifying the exchange rate system, explaining that the moves freed funds for education, healthcare, security, agriculture, and infrastructure.
He pointed to early signs of recovery, including a 4.23% GDP growth in Q2 2025, the fastest in four years, inflation dropping to 20.12%, and external reserves rising to $42 billion. Non-oil revenue surpassed ₦20 trillion by August, while the debt service-to-revenue ratio fell from 97% to below 50%.
On security, Tinubu commended the armed forces for gains against Boko Haram, IPOB/ESN, and banditry, saying peace has returned to many communities in the North-East and North-West.
Youth empowerment also featured prominently in the speech. Programmes such as NELFUND, which has supported over 510,000 students with nearly ₦100 billion in loans, Credicorp loans for vehicles and housing, YouthCred for NYSC members, and the iDICE initiative for digital and creative industries were highlighted.
The president further noted that over eight million households have benefitted from cash transfers under the social investment programme, while reforms have improved Nigeria’s global credit ratings and boosted investor confidence.
Tinubu acknowledged that many Nigerians are facing hardship due to inflation and rising living costs but insisted reforms were necessary to prevent bankruptcy and secure the country’s future.
He urged citizens to patronise made-in-Nigeria goods, pay taxes, and embrace productivity as part of nation-building.
Closing his address, Tinubu expressed optimism: “The dawn of a new, prosperous, self-reliant Nigeria is here.”