Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, says the economic reforms set in motion by President Bola Tinubu are laying the foundation for long-term national prosperity and development.
The Information Minister disclosed this while hosting the leadership of the APC Forum of Former Presiding Officers of State Houses of Assembly (FOPSHA), led by its Chairman, Senator Wasiu Esinlokun, on a courtesy call in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
He said the Tinubu administration has taken bold decisions that previous governments were unwilling to implement, adding that the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market have strengthened public finances and created room for increased investment in infrastructure, education and other critical sectors.
“Only President Bola Tinubu has the courage, the vision and the determination to remove fuel subsidy. It was a hard choice, but a choice that had become inevitable after decades of delay. “There is fiscal space for governments at all levels to provide services to the people today,” Idris said.
He stated that improved revenues had enabled state governments to meet their salary obligations and to carry out capital projects, pointing out that many states that had faced financial difficulties in the past were now in a stronger fiscal position.
Those that had served in state legislatures were well placed to communicate government policies because of their closeness with people at the grassroots, the Minister stated.
“I challenge members of the Forum to leverage on their experience and their grassroots outreach to increase efforts to explain the policies and programmes of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to Nigerians at the grassroots.
“We want you to go down to the grassroots and tell the people about these policies and programmes of government and how they can help to deliver the Nigeria. “People need to get a better understanding of what these reforms are doing and how they will ultimately benefit the country,” he said.
Idris also pointed out improvements in key economic indicators, saying Nigeria’s foreign reserves had risen above $50 billion while the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth had topped four per cent.
“For the first time in many years we have crossed the $50 billion mark in our foreign reserves, and our economy is growing at over four per cent. “These are signs that the reforms are starting to yield positive results,” he revealed.
The Minister revealed that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had enhanced access to tertiary education, noting that over one million students had been kept in school via the initiative.
He also listed ongoing infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline and railway modernisation, as evidence of the administration’s commitment to stimulating economic growth and improving living standards.
“Reforms are never easy; they bring with them challenges and sacrifices, but once the benefits begin to manifest, Nigerians will appreciate why these hard decisions had to be taken,” he said.
Senator Wasiu Esinlokun, Chairman of the Forum of Past and Present Scribes of the Holy Spirit (FOPSHA) had earlier said that the forum was committed to mobilising political support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections. Esinlokun described the administration’s reforms as necessary to reposition Nigeria’s economy.
“Our first assignment is to contribute immensely to the success of APC and the re-election of President Bola Tinubu. That is the reason why we have come to seek the cooperation and support of the Ministry of Information,” he said.
He supported the administration’s economic policies, describing it as bold interventions that rescued Nigeria from a worsening fiscal crisis.
“Nigeria was at a very critical stage when President Bola Tinubu took over the mantle of leadership. Many states could hardly pay salaries, while the fuel subsidy had become unsustainable and was making a few people rich at the expense of the majority,” Esinlokun said.
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He said the removal of the fuel subsidy had significantly increased the allocations to the states, giving them more capacity to execute development projects and improve public services.
“What we are seeing now is that many states are getting a lot more from the Federation Account than before. “What we expect is that those resources are used judiciously for the benefit of Nigerians,” he said.
Esinlokun also commended the reforms introduced by the administration in the foreign exchange market, education financing and infrastructure development, saying they showed a clear commitment to reposition the country’s economy.
“The government has been focused and investing in infrastructure, education and economic reforms. These are policies that will strengthen the Nigerian economy in the long run. “I am confident that the reforms will ensure sustainable economic growth and improve the welfare of Nigerians in the years to come,” he said.
The Forum re-affirmed its commitment to mobilise grassroots support for the Renewed Hope Agenda through continuous engagement with Nigerians across the country.
