Tinubu Urges Nigerians to Embrace Productivity as He Highlights Economic Gains in 65th Independence Day Address
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigerians to embrace productivity, innovation, and enterprise as the nation marks its 65th Independence anniversary, stressing that Nigeria must become a nation of producers rather than merely consumers.
In his Independence Day address on Wednesday, the president called on citizens to farm the land, build factories, and patronise Made-in-Nigeria goods, while also fulfilling their tax obligations to support national development. He further appealed to state governments to complement federal efforts in driving inclusive growth.
Tinubu highlighted notable economic strides under his administration, including a trade surplus of ₦7.46 trillion ($4.74 billion) in Q2 2025, the highest in three years. He noted that Nigeria has sustained trade surpluses for five consecutive quarters, with manufactured exports rising by 173 percent and non-oil exports now accounting for nearly half of federal revenue.
The president pointed to stronger growth, improved reserves of $42.03 billion, and a rising tax-to-GDP ratio of 13.5 percent, which he said would increase further under the new tax law taking effect in January. He stressed that the reform would broaden the tax base while easing burdens on low-income earners.
On oil, Tinubu reported a rebound in production to 1.68 million barrels per day, attributing this to improved security, new investments, and better Niger Delta stakeholder engagement. He also celebrated domestic PMS refining for the first time in four decades and Nigeria’s emergence as Africa’s leading exporter of aviation fuel.
He noted that foreign exchange reforms have stabilised the naira, ended multiple exchange rates, and reduced volatility. Inflation, he said, has fallen to 20.12 percent, the lowest in three years, while GDP growth hit 4.23 percent in Q2 2025, outpacing IMF’s projections.
The president listed achievements in coal and solid minerals, where output surged, and in transport, with significant progress on the Kano-Katsina-Maradi, Kaduna-Kano, Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, and Sokoto-Badagry Highway projects. Rail and water transport, he said, grew by over 40 and 27 percent, respectively.
Nigeria’s stock market has also witnessed unprecedented growth, rising from an all-share index of 55,000 in May 2023 to 142,000 points by September 2025. Sovereign credit agencies have upgraded Nigeria’s outlook, and the Central Bank recently cut interest rates for the first time in five years.
Tinubu added that debt service-to-revenue ratio has dropped from 97 percent to below 50 percent, while the removal of the petroleum subsidy has freed up trillions for investment in infrastructure, social programmes, and fiscal stability.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to food security and poverty alleviation, noting that ₦330 billion has been disbursed to eight million households under the social investment programme.
“As we celebrate Nigeria at 65, our economy is recovering fast, and the reforms we began two years ago are delivering results,” Tinubu said, pointing to 12 key milestones achieved across agriculture, industry, trade, and financial stability.
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