The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has stated that the reforms undertaken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration since 2023 were necessary to save Nigeria from collapse. Speaking at the 66th Independence Anniversary Lecture in Abuja, Akume said the reforms have begun to yield positive results. He noted that 66 years after independence, Nigeria has survived civil war, decades of military rule, and many trials.
Akume highlighted that the administration took difficult but necessary decisions at inception, including the removal of the petrol subsidy, unification of the foreign-exchange market, tax, and other fiscal reforms. According to the World Bank, Nigeria's real GDP grew by 4.2% in the first half of 2026, up from 3.9% a year earlier, as business activity expanded. The task now is to ensure that growth translates into jobs and higher incomes for all Nigerians.
The SGF outlined massive infrastructure investments as evidence of progress, noting that the country has witnessed massive investment in infrastructure and improvement in connectivity over the past three and a half years. Projects like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Abuja-Kano highway, the East-West Road, rail modernization, and port reforms would dramatically improve trade routes and the economy.
Akume also mentioned that the government is expanding mortgage finance to boost housing and jobs, and tackling power and transport costs. The government has tackled the power sector's problems by clearing legacy debts, increasing investment, and improving transmission and billing. Over 120,000 vehicles have been converted to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), with more than 400 conversion centers and 90 fueling stations nationwide.
On agriculture and food security, Akume reaffirmed the government's determination that Nigerians "eat what we grow," supporting mechanization, irrigation, quality seeds, fertilizer, silos, and local processing. The World Bank has approved a $500 million credit for the Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth (AGROW) project, which will raise smallholder productivity, strengthen value chains, and improve food and nutrition security.
Akume emphasized the importance of youth empowerment, noting that over 60% of Nigerians are under 25 and describing them as Nigeria's greatest asset. The government has expanded the Education Loan Fund so that millions of students can afford university and vocational studies. The government is also strengthening technical and vocational institutes to teach the skills that industry needs.
Akume called on the diaspora to invest homewards, stressing that they bring "not just remittances, but ideas, investments, and pride." He also highlighted the government's efforts on health and social protection, equipping thousands of primary healthcare centers under the IMPACT initiative, and expanding safety nets, including NG-CARES Additional Financing, SOLID, and HOPE programs.
Key points
- The Nigerian government has undertaken bold reforms to save the country from imminent collapse.
- The reforms have begun to yield positive results, including a 4.2% growth in real GDP in the first half of 2026.
- The government is committed to ensuring that growth translates into jobs and higher incomes for all Nigerians.
