By Lanre Oloyede
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has laid a solid foundation for Nigeria to achieve a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
Yilwatda, who represented President Tinubu at the second edition of the Asiwaju Scorecard Series/Asiwaju Policy Roundtable organised by the APC Professionals Forum in Abuja on Tuesday, said the ambitious target was not merely a figure but a national mission aimed at transforming Nigeria into a productive, investment-driven and globally competitive economy.
The APC chairman said the President would have loved to attend the event personally but asked him to convey his appreciation to the organisers for creating a platform to engage Nigerians on the economic policies and achievements of his administration.
According to him, Nigeria inherited a difficult economic situation when President Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, characterised by fuel subsidy distortions, multiple exchange-rate windows, weak revenue mobilisation, foreign exchange shortages, rising debt-service pressures and inadequate investment in critical infrastructure.
He said the President therefore took difficult decisions, including the removal of fuel subsidy and reforms in the foreign exchange market, to reverse years of economic distortions.
Yilwatda said the emerging economic indicators showed that the reforms were beginning to strengthen the country’s economic foundation.
He cited the increase in Nigeria’s gross external reserves to about $52.7 billion as of August 2026, while consolidated non-oil revenue reportedly rose from approximately N13.63 trillion in 2023 to N16.4 trillion in the first two quarters of 2026.
He also noted that Nigeria’s merchandise trade balance had improved from a surplus of about N44.8 billion for the whole of 2023 to approximately N7.54 trillion in the first quarter of 2026.
The APC chairman further stated that real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, while inflation had declined to about 15.4 per cent from its earlier peak.
He, however, cautioned that improved macroeconomic indicators alone would not be sufficient, stressing that economic stability must ultimately translate into cheaper food, more jobs, affordable credit, reliable electricity and increased purchasing power for Nigerians.
“Macroeconomic stability is not the destination; it is the foundation,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the APC Professionals Forum, Dr Isa Yuguda, said the 2027 presidential election should be centred on achievements, policies and realistic solutions rather than political rhetoric.
Yuguda said the second edition of the Policy Roundtable, themed “Dissecting the Renewed Hope Deliverables & Achievements,” was designed to provide an avenue for professionals, policymakers, government officials and stakeholders to objectively examine the performance of the Tinubu administration.
He described the APC Professionals Forum as a policy think tank of the party and a platform for professionals and citizens to engage government constructively on issues affecting the country.
