In his nationwide broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary, President Bola Tinubu painted a picture of a recovering nation—stabilising economy, stronger security, empowered youth, and renewed hope—while urging collective sacrifice and productivity to build a self-reliant nation.
Below are the five key takeaways from the broadcast.
NATIONAL REFLECTION AND PROGRESS
Tinubu said Nigeria has made significant strides in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and technology since 1960.
He noted that from just two tertiary institutions in 1960, the country now has over 270 universities, alongside hundreds of polytechnics and colleges of education.
According to him, despite civil war, military rule, and political crises, Nigeria has endured and continues to strive for unity and progress.
ECONOMIC REFORMS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Tinubu defended the removal of the petrol subsidy and multiple FX rates, calling them necessary reforms to end corruption and mismanagement. He noted that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.23 percent in Q2 2025, the fastest in four years.
The president said inflation dropped to 20.12 percent in August 2025, the lowest in three years, adding that non-oil revenue exceeded N20 trillion by August 2025; N3.65 trillion was raised in September alone.
He said the debt service-to-revenue ratio fell from 97 percent to below 50 percent while external reserves hit $42.03 billion, the highest since 2019.
At the same time, Tinubu noted that Nigeria achieved five consecutive trade surpluses, with non-oil exports now making up 48 percent of exports.
He said oil production rebounded to 1.68m barrels/day, and Nigeria is refining petrol domestically for the first time in 40 years.
He also indicated that the federal government disbursed N330 billion to eight million households under social investment programmes, just as credit ratings improved as the stock market hit 142,000 points in September 2025.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT
Tinubu cited ongoing road constructions such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, the Kano-Katsina-Maradi and Kaduna-Kano rail projects, and the Eastern Rail project.
He added that seaports, airports, and roads are being expanded to global standards, while emphasis is on power generation and the digital economy as growth drivers.
SECURITY
The president said armed forces are making gains against Boko Haram, IPOB/ESN, banditry, and kidnapping.
He said peace has been restored to many communities in the north-east and north-west as the federal government pledged continued support for security agencies.
YOUTH AND OPPORTUNITIES
Citing the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Tinubu said 510,000 students benefited from N99.5 billion in loans across 228 higher institutions.
Under Credicorp, the president said 153,000 Nigerians accessed N30 billion in affordable loans for housing, transport, and digital devices.
He added that NYSC members are now accessing consumer credit for resettlement under YouthCred, while the government is about to launch to support youth in technology and creative industries, backed by AfDB, AFD, and the Islamic Development Bank.
MESSAGE OF HOPE AND CALL TO ACTION
While rounding up his broadcast, Tinubu acknowledged hardship from reforms but insisted “the worst is over.”
He urged Nigerians to embrace productivity, innovation, farming, and patronage of made-in-Nigeria goods.
The president stressed collaboration between federal, state, and local governments and emphasised that true success will be measured by food security, education quality, electricity supply, and community safety.
He called on citizens to “believe in Nigeria once more” and contribute to national progress.
