President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday addressed Nigerians to mark the country’s 65th Independence anniversary, delivering a wide-ranging speech that reflected on the nation’s past, outlined his administration’s economic and social reforms, and offered a message of hope for the future.
Tinubu recalled the sacrifices of Nigeria’s founding fathers — including Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, and Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti — who envisioned a strong, prosperous, and united Nigeria. He noted that, despite challenges such as civil war, dictatorship, and political crises, the country had made significant progress in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and economic growth since 1960.
The president stressed that his administration inherited a near-collapsed economy but chose the “path of reform” over “business as usual.” He highlighted key policy moves, including ending fuel subsidies, unifying foreign exchange rates, and investing in infrastructure, agriculture, and social programmes.
“Fellow Nigerians, we are racing against time. We must build the roads we need, repair those that have become decrepit, and construct the schools our children will attend and the hospitals that will care for our people,” Tinubu said.
Economic Highlights
Tinubu listed 12 major milestones achieved under his administration’s reforms:
- GDP Growth: 4.23% in Q2 2025, Nigeria’s fastest in four years.
- Inflation: Declined to 20.12% in August 2025, the lowest in three years.
- Revenue: Non-oil revenue hit ₦20 trillion by August; September alone generated ₦3.65 trillion.
- Debt Management: Debt service-to-revenue ratio reduced from 97% to below 50%.
- Reserves: External reserves rose to $42.03 billion, the highest since 2019.
- Trade Surplus: ₦7.46 trillion in Q2 2025, with non-oil exports accounting for 48%.
- Oil Production: Increased to 1.68m barrels/day, with local PMS refining for the first time in 40 years.
- Social Investment: ₦330 billion disbursed to eight million households.
- Infrastructure: Rapid expansion in rail, road, seaports, and airports, including major projects like Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
- Solid Minerals: Coal mining and other extractive industries recorded record growth.
- Stock Market: All-share index soared to 142,000 points as of September 2025.
- Monetary Policy: Central Bank cut interest rates for the first time in five years.
Security
Tinubu praised the armed forces for their fight against Boko Haram, IPOB/ESN, and banditry, saying peace had returned to many communities in the North-East and North-West.
Youth and Innovation
Addressing Nigerian youth, Tinubu announced progress on initiatives like:
- NELFUND student loans – ₦99.5 billion already disbursed to over 510,000 students.
- Credicorp loans – ₦30 billion in affordable loans for housing, energy, and digital tools.
- YouthCred – consumer credit support for NYSC members.
- iDICE programme – funding for technology and creative sector entrepreneurs.
Message of Hope
The president acknowledged Nigerians’ sacrifices amid economic reforms, assuring them that the “worst is over.”
“The accurate measure of our success will not be limited to statistics, but in the food on our families’ tables, the education our children receive, the electricity in our homes, and the security in our communities,” he said.
Tinubu urged citizens to embrace productivity, pay taxes, and patronise Made-in-Nigeria goods, declaring:
“With Almighty God on our side, I can assure you that the dawn of a new, prosperous, self-reliant Nigeria is here.”
He ended his speech with: “Happy 65th Independence Anniversary, and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
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