President Bola Tinubu on Thursday declared that Nigeria had emerged from the most difficult phase of his administration’s economic reforms, announcing a shift from economic stabilisation to an era of shared and widespread prosperity.

Addressing Nigerians in his Independence Day broadcast to mark the country’s 66th anniversary, Tinubu said the reforms undertaken since his administration assumed office in 2023 had corrected fundamental distortions in the economy and laid the foundation for sustainable growth.

According to him, the central economic task before the country had now changed from correcting its course to translating the gains of the reforms into improved living standards, productive employment and greater opportunities for Nigerians.

“The age of reform has done its work. Now begins the age of prosperity,” the President declared.He said the government’s immediate priority would be to reduce the cost of living by lowering the cost of producing and transporting goods, while expanding agricultural production, industrial capacity, infrastructure and access to finance.

Tinubu said the economy had grown by more than four per cent in 2026, with both the oil and non-oil sectors contributing to what he described as a renewed period of stable growth.

He also cited declining oil theft, a substantial fall in inflation from its peak, stronger foreign reserves, improved stability in the foreign exchange market and record non-oil export earnings exceeding $6 billion in 2025 as evidence of progress.

“These are not idle claims,” he said, adding that international observers, multilateral institutions and the private sector had recognised improvements in Nigeria’s economic stability and resilience.

The President, however, acknowledged that millions of Nigerians were still struggling with food costs, school fees, medical bills and transportation expenses, stressing that the hardships confronting citizens predated the current reforms.

He said the government could not erase in four years problems that had accumulated over generations, but could change their trajectory through sustained economic growth, increased productivity and expanded opportunities.

Tinubu said his administration would now place jobs, enterprise and industrial growth at the centre of its economic agenda, with particular emphasis on harnessing Nigeria’s youthful population as an engine of production.

He promised greater investment in gas-powered industries, the revival of factories in major industrial centres, expanded digital connectivity, skills development and improved access to infrastructure and finance for businesses.

“I want to see more Nigerians making things. I want to see more Nigerian farms feeding our cities and supplying our factories. I want to see Nigerian businesses selling Nigerian goods to the whole world,” he said.

The President also said the government would intensify investment in mechanised irrigation and dry-season farming, improve access to seeds and fertiliser, expand mechanisation and strengthen storage and transportation infrastructure.

He said the ongoing development of roads, railways and ports was intended to connect farms and factories more efficiently to markets and reduce the costs associated with moving goods across the country.

According to him, lower production and transportation costs would eventually translate into cheaper goods and services for consumers.

Tinubu said his administration was also strengthening social protection measures for vulnerable Nigerians, including improvements to the National Social Register to ensure that assistance reaches households that genuinely need it.

He listed the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, CREDICORP, primary healthcare and basic education interventions among measures designed to provide support while Nigerians transition into greater economic prosperity.

“These programmes are not substitutes for prosperity. They are a bridge to aid our nation’s citizens on their path towards it,” he said.

“Our objective is not to manage poverty more efficiently. We will defeat it.”

The President acknowledged that achieving the objective would take time, discipline and sustained economic growth, alongside the creation of millions of productive opportunities.

He also said his administration had maintained payment of salaries and pensions since 2023 and had reformed the national pension programme to strengthen support for retirees and vulnerable Nigerians.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s 66-year journey since independence, Tinubu acknowledged the country’s experiences of civil war, military rule, economic crises, insecurity and political upheaval, but said Nigerians had continued to demonstrate resilience and faith in the country.

He urged citizens to look beyond the sacrifices associated with the reforms and focus on the opportunities they had created.

“Rather than fail the promise of a better future for our children, the time has come for us to build that future,” he said.

Using the biblical imagery of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, the President said Nigeria had passed through its own period of hardship and should not return to the conditions that necessitated the reforms.

“Nigeria has corrected its course. We have passed through our own Red Sea. This is not the time to look back.”He described the Nigeria he envisaged as a nation of abundance and opportunity, where prosperity would be broadly shared and children could aspire beyond the circumstances of their birth.

“Our destination is in sight. Our foundations are strong. Our direction is clear. So let us go forward. No looking back,” Tinubu said.

He concluded by congratulating Nigerians on the 66th Independence anniversary and called for continued collective effort in building a stronger and more prosperous nation.

“Happy Independence Day, my fellow Nigerians. God bless you all, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”