OSGF

2026 MARKS THE BEGINNING OF A MORE ROBUST PHASE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH Fellow Compatriots, I welcome you all to 2026, with gratitude to God and confidence in our collective resolve that this new year will be a more prosperous one for our nation, our citizens, and all who call Nigeria home. During 2025, we sustained the momentum on our major reforms. We had a fiscal reset and also recorded steady economic progress. Despite persistent global economic headwinds, we recorded tangible and measurable gains, particularly in the economy. These achievements reaffirm our belief that the difficult but necessary reforms we embarked upon are moving us in the right direction with more concrete results on the horizon for the ordinary Nigerian. 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 As we enter 2026, our focus is on consolidating these gains and continuing to build a resilient, sustainable, inclusive, and growth-oriented economy. We closed 2025 on a strong note. Despite the policies to fight inflation, Nigeria recorded a robust GDP growth each quarter, with annualised growth expected to exceed 4 per cent for the year. We maintained trade surpluses and achieved greater exchange rate stability. Inflation declined steadily and reached below 15 per cent, in line with our target. In 2026, we are determined to reduce inflation further and ensure that the benefits of reform reach every Nigerian household. In 2025, the Nigerian Stock Exchange outperformed its peers, posting a robust 48.12 per cent gain and consolidating its bullish run that began in the second half of 2023. Supported by sound monetary policy management, our foreign reserves stood at $45.4 billion as of December 29, 2025, providing a substantial buffer against external shocks for the Naira. We expect this position to strengthen further in the new year. Foreign direct investment is also responding positively. In the third quarter of 2025, FDI rose to $720 million, up from $90 million in the preceding quarter, reflecting renewed investor confidence in Nigeria’s economic direction, which global credit rating agencies, including Moody's, Fitch, and Standard & Poor's, have consistently affirmed and applauded. 𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 A few days ago, I presented the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly. In that address, I emphasised that our administration has implemented critical reforms that are laying a solid foundation for long-term stability and prosperity. With patience, fiscal discipline, and unity of purpose, Nigeria will emerge in 2026 stronger and better positioned for sustained growth. As inflation and interest rates moderate, we expect increased fiscal space for productive investment in infrastructure and human capital development. We are also confronting the challenge of multiple taxation across all tiers of government. I commend states that have aligned with the national tax harmonisation agenda by adopting harmonised tax laws to reduce the excessive burden of taxes, levies, and fees on our people and on basic consumption. The new year marks a critical phase in implementing our tax reforms, designed to build a fair, competitive, and robust fiscal foundation for Nigeria. By harmonising our tax system, we aim to raise revenue sustainably, address fiscal distortions and strengthen our capacity to finance infrastructure and social investments that will deliver shared prosperity. 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 My fellow Nigerians, the path of reform is never easy, but it is necessary. We remain mindful that economic progress must be accompanied by security and peace. Our nation continues to confront security threats from criminal and terrorist elements determined to disrupt our way of life. In collaboration with international partners, including the United States, decisive actions were taken against terrorist targets in parts of the Northwest on December 24. Our Armed Forces have since sustained operations against terror networks and criminal strongholds across the Northwest and Northeast. In 2026, our security and intelligence agencies will deepen cooperation with regional and global partners to eliminate all threats to national security. We remain committed to protecting lives, property, and the territorial integrity of our country. I continue to believe that a decentralised policing system with appropriate safeguards, complemented by properly regulated forest guards, all anchored on accountability, is critical to effectively addressing terrorism, banditry, and related security challenges. 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 The new year marks the beginning of a more robust phase of economic growth, with tangible improvements in the lives of our people. We will accelerate the implementation of the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, aiming to bring at least 10 million Nigerians into productive economic activity by empowering at least 1,000 people in each of the 8,809 wards across the country. Through agriculture, trade, food processing, and mining, we will stimulate local economies and expand grassroots opportunities. We will also continue to invest in modernising Nigeria’s infrastructure - roads, power, ports, railways, airports, pipelines, healthcare, education, and agriculture to strengthen food security and improve quality of life. All ongoing projects will continue without interruption. 𝐀 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 To achieve our objectives in 2026, we must all play our part. Nation-building is a shared responsibility. We must stand together in unity and purpose, uphold patriotism, and serve our country with honour and integrity in our respective roles. Let us resolve to be better citizens, better neighbours, and better stewards of our nation. Fellow Nigerians, I wish you all a peaceful, productive, and prosperous New Year. May God continue to bless and protect our beloved country, keep our troops safe and destroy the enemies bent on disrupting our national peace, security and stability. Happy New Year to you all. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria January 1, 2026

President Bola Tinubu swears in General Christopher Musa (rtd) as the Minister of Defence, at the State House, Abuja. Thursday, December 4, 2025

Eight Takeaways from Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris’ CNN Interview on October 28, 2025 1. It’s wrong to characterize Nigeria as a country that does not tolerate religious freedom. It's also wrong to say that everywhere is not safe in Nigeria. Nigeria is indeed a safe country, but we do recognize that we have security challenges in the Northeast. Once upon a time, some of the territories around the Northeast were taken over by Boko Haram. That is no longer the case. 2. Some of the claims made by some officials in the United States is based on faulty data — some assumptions that the victims of this religious violence are largely Christian. Yes, there are Christians being attacked. But these criminals do not just target one religion, they target Christians, they also target Muslims. 3. For the record, we want to say that Nigeria is a very tolerant country when it comes to religion. We don't want these dangerous narratives to go on because criminal elements and some of these extremists are driving this narrative and pushing people to believe that Muslims and Christians are fighting each other. This is not the case. 4. What these criminal elements and extremists want is actually to make Nigerians and the world to feel that there is actually a fight between Christians and Muslims in our country. This is not the case. Absolutely false. Our constitution guarantees the right of every citizen to practise his religion, whether a Christian or a Muslim. 5. In the last two years, there has been a renewed focus, the new attention has been put to ensure that Nigeria becomes safe. We've seen massive deployment of resources to improve our military hardware. We've also seen investments in other sectors, in agriculture, in social services, non-kinetic approach contributing to the stability of our country. 6. The government of Nigeria is working hard to ensure protection of lives and properties, and also ensuring that people go about their businesses all over. 7. Indeed, we have security challenges in Nigeria, but we also have to recognize that there is a massive drive by government to ensure that Nigeria is ultimately safe for everyone. 8. When you say that only a particular religion is being targeted, that is not true. We know that some of these Boko Haram extremists have targeted Muslims in the mosque. Yes, they have targeted also Christians in their churches. And to characterize it as a religious issue is not helpful for our country. It will drive us towards division.

Photos News: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the coronation of Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoju as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, Friday, 26 September 2025

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kassim Shettima and other top government officials receive remains of former President Muhammadu Buhari at Katsina Airport ahead of #PMBFuneral in Daura today.