By Michael Oche
The Tinubu Support Group (TSG) has said the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration have laid a solid foundation for Nigeria’s return to sustainable growth and prosperity, urging Nigerians not to abandon the gains recorded so far.
The Director-General of TSG, Dr Umar Tanko Yakasai, in a statement on Thursday said the President’s Independence Day address offered Nigerians a clear assessment of the difficult economic choices made by the administration and the need to sustain the reforms beyond the 2027 general elections.
Yakasai said while the reforms had imposed some hardships on households and businesses, they were necessary to address longstanding weaknesses in the Nigerian economy, arguing that reversing them would undermine the progress already made.
He said the President’s declaration that the reforms did not create the weaknesses in the economy but confronted them was a reminder of the conditions that necessitated the difficult decisions taken since May 2023.
According to him, Nigeria had for decades relied on arrangements that became increasingly difficult and expensive to sustain, while successive administrations deferred some of the structural problems confronting the economy.
The TSG director-general said the economic indicators highlighted by the President in his address, including growth of more than four per cent, improved foreign exchange stability, rebuilding of foreign reserves, increased non-oil exports and reduced oil theft, should be considered alongside the administration’s ongoing efforts to reduce production and transportation costs.
He said the significance of the reforms would ultimately manifest by their ability to translate economic stability into improved living conditions, more jobs, lower production costs and greater opportunities for Nigerians.
Yakasai also acknowledged that as Nigerians still struggle with the cost of food, transportation, education, healthcare and other basic necessities, the administration will continue to respond to these concerns as it consolidates the gains of the reforms.
He said Tinubu’s emphasis on mechanised agriculture, irrigation, infrastructure, transportation, access to credit, education financing and social protection showed that the administration was moving beyond stabilising the economy towards making growth more meaningful to ordinary Nigerians.
According to him, the 2027 elections should therefore provide an opportunity for Nigerians to assess the direction of the economy and determine whether the country should sustain the reform trajectory or return to policies that the administration argues had contributed to the structural weaknesses of the past.
“President Tinubu has been clear that the emergency treatment is over and that the foundation has been repaired. The task before us now is to build on that foundation and ensure that the benefits of economic stability reach ordinary Nigerians,” he said.
The TSG chief urged Nigerians to distinguish between the difficulties associated with implementing reforms and the longer-term objective of building a more productive and resilient economy.
He said abandoning the gains of the reforms at a critical stage could disrupt the progress made in stabilising the economy and undermine ongoing investments in agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, transportation and human capital.
Yakasai said the 2027 election would therefore be significant in determining the continuity of the economic policies and programmes already initiated by the administration.
“Nigerians must not abandon the gains of these reforms. We have gone through the difficult phase, and the focus now should be on consolidating the foundation that has been laid and ensuring that prosperity becomes more visible in the lives of our people,” he said.
He called on Nigerians, particularly young people and businesses, to remain engaged in the economic transformation process, saying the ultimate objective should be an economy capable of creating productive employment, supporting businesses, reducing poverty and improving the standard of living.
The TSG director-general said the President’s call for Nigerians to move forward without looking back should be understood as a commitment to consolidate the progress already made while addressing the challenges that remain.
He said TSG would continue to engage Nigerians on the administration’s policies and programmes ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting that the debate should focus on the direction of the Nigerian economy and the policies capable of delivering sustainable prosperity.
