By Charles Pemu 
ABUJA – Marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today addressed the nation, confidently declaring, “The worst is over,” and asserting that the temporary pains from his administration’s reforms are giving way to relief.
In his address, the President honored the nation’s founding fathers, including Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, and Chief Obafemi Awolowo, for their sacrifice and dream of a strong, united Nigeria. He acknowledged that while the country has been tested by an “avoidable civil war” and military dictatorships, it has always endured.
Speaking on the economy, the President justified the tough decision to end the “corrupt fuel subsidies and multiple foreign exchange rates,” stating the choice was to embrace the “path of tomorrow over the comfort of today.”
He highlighted 12 remarkable economic milestones achieved in the last two years:
- Fastest GDP Growth: Q2 2025 GDP grew by 4.23 per cent, Nigeria’s fastest pace in four years, outperforming IMF projections.
- Inflation Easing: Inflation dropped to 20.12 per cent in August 2025, the lowest in three years.
- Non-Oil Revenue Surge: Non-oil revenue exceeded the 2025 target by August, achieving over ₦20 trillion.
- Stronger Fiscal Health: Debt service-to-revenue ratio has been significantly reduced from 97% to below 50%.
- Trade Surplus: Nigeria is now a Net Exporter, recording a trade surplus for five consecutive quarters. Non-oil exports now represent 48 per cent of total exports.
- Oil Rebound: Oil production has recovered to 1.68 million barrels per day from barely one million in May 2023.
- Stock Market Boom: The All-Share Index has surged from 55,000 points in May 2023 to 142,000 points.
Progress in Education and Infrastructure
President Tinubu celebrated the tremendous progress in the education sector since Independence. He noted that while there were only 120 secondary schools in 1960, there are now more than 23,000. Tertiary institutions have multiplied from just two to 274 universities, 183 Polytechnics, and 236 Colleges of Education.
On infrastructure, he reported that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Highway are progressing, with the Federal Executive Council recently approving $3 billion to complete the Eastern Rail Project.
Focus on Youth and Security
The President specifically addressed the youth, calling them the “greatest assets” of the country. He cited major initiatives launched to support them:
- NELFUND: The student loan initiative has benefited approximately 510,000 students across 228 institutions with ₦99.5 billion disbursed.
- Credit Schemes: Credicorp and YouthCred have granted affordable loans to over 153,000 Nigerians, including NYSC members.
On security, he assured the nation that the armed forces are winning the war against terrorism and banditry, with peace returning to hundreds of liberated communities in the North-East and North-West.
A Call to Action: “Nigeria First”
In his conclusion, President Tinubu called for collective effort, urging every Nigerian to become a producer, not just a consumer.
“The federal government will continue to do its part to fix the plumbing in our economy,” he said. “Now, we must all turn on the taps of productivity, innovation, and enterprise.”
He rallied the nation with a simple message: “Let us patronise ‘Made-in-Nigeria’ goods. I say Nigeria first. Let us pay our taxes.”