On Thursday, President Bola Tinubu stated that the main goal for 2026 would be to consolidate the gains and maintain the development of a resilient, sustainable, inclusive, and growth-oriented economy.
According to him, Nigeria came out on a strong note in 2025, as it continued to grow its GDP annually despite the policies to combat inflation, with annualized growth anticipated to exceed 4% for the year.
In his New Year’s message, Tinubu claimed that the country maintained trade surpluses and maintained greater exchange rate stability while inflation steadily decreased to just 15%, in line with the goals of his administration.
See the following speech in its entirety:
A MORE ROBUST PHASE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH WILL BEGIN IN 2026. PRESIDENT TINUBU’S NEW YEAR GOODWILL MESSAGE TO NIGERIANS
Friendlies of the compatriots
I sincerely welcome you all to 2026, with gratitude to God and confidence in our collective resolve to ensure that our country, our people, and everyone who calls Nigeria home will have a prosperous future.
We continued to advance our significant reforms into 2025. We experienced steady economic growth and a fiscal reset. We saw tangible and measurable gains, particularly in the economy, despite persistent global economic headwinds. These accomplishments confirm our belief that the challenging but necessary reforms we implemented are heading in the right direction, with more tangible outcomes a long way off for the average Nigerian.
Perspectives and Progress in Economics
Our main goals for 2026 are to consolidate these victories and keep building a resilient, sustainable, inclusive, and growth-oriented economy.
We ended 2025 strong. Nigeria’s GDP increased steadily each quarter despite its inflation-fighting measures, with annualized growth expected to exceed 4% for the year.
We maintained trade surpluses and improved the stability of the exchange rate. In line with our goal, inflation steadily decreased to just under 15%. We are determined to increase inflation in 2026 and ensure that every Nigerian household benefits from reform.
The Nigerian Stock Exchange continued its upward trend, which started in the second half of 2023, with a robust 48.12% gain and a strong bottom-half performance.
Our foreign reserves, which were supported by sound monetary policy management, totaled $45.4 billion as of December 29, 2025, giving the Naira a significant buffer against external shocks. In the coming year, we anticipate that this position will improve.
Foreign direct investment is responding positively as well. Global credit rating agencies like Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s have consistently praised and praised the country’s economic direction, which increased to $ 720 million in the third quarter of 2025 from $90 million in the previous quarter.
Fiscal Control and Reform
The 2026 Appropriation Bill was presented to the National Assembly a few days ago. In that speech, I emphasized that our administration had made significant reforms that were laying the groundwork for long-term stability and prosperity. Nigeria will emerge in 2026 stronger and better positioned for sustained growth with patience, fiscal discipline, and unity of purpose.
We anticipate more fiscal space for productive investment in human capital development as inflation and interest rates stabilize. Additionally, multiple taxation levels across all levels of government are a problem. I applaud states that have adopted harmonised tax laws in an effort to lower the country’s burden of taxes, levies, and fees, while maintaining basic consumption.
The implementation of our tax reforms, which aim to lay a solid, fair, and competitive fiscal foundation for Nigeria, is in its early stages. We want to increase revenue sustainably, address fiscal distortions, and increase our ability to finance social investments that will result in shared prosperity by harmonising our tax system.
National stability and security
The path of reform, dear Nigerians, is necessary, but it’s never easy. Security and peace must come with economic advancement, which we continue to be aware of.
Criminal and terrorist organizations continue to threaten our country’s security and threaten our country’s way of life. On December 24, decisive actions were taken in parts of the Northwest in collaboration with international partners, including the United States. Since then, our armed forces have been conducting operations against criminal and terrorist strongholds in the Northwest and Northeast.
Our security and intelligence organizations will work more closely with regional and international partners to combat any threats to national security in 2026. Our nation’s territorial integrity, as well as our own, are still our top priorities. A decentralized policing system with appropriate safeguards, as well as properly regulated forest guards, and a culture of accountability are essential to successfully addressing terrorism, banditry, and related security issues, in my opinion.
Social Development and Inclusive Growth
A more robust period of economic growth is set to begin with tangible improvements in people’s lives in the new year. By empowering at least 1, 000 people in each of the 8, 809 Wards in the country, we will accelerate the implementation of the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, which aims to convert at least 10 million Nigerians to productive economic activity.
We will boost local economies and expand opportunities at the grassroots through agriculture, trade, food processing, and mining. In order to improve food security and improve quality of life, we will continue to invest in modernizing Nigeria’s infrastructure, including roads, power, ports, railways, airports, pipelines, healthcare, education, and agriculture. Without a delay, all ongoing projects will continue.
A Call For Responsibility and Unity
We must all play our part to accomplish our goals in 2026. A shared responsibility is to build nations. In our respective roles, we must stand together in a common sense of purpose, uphold patriotism, and perform our respective duties with honor and integrity. Let’s make a strong effort to improve our country’s citizens, our neighbors, and our stewardship.
I wish you all a peaceful, productive, and prosperous New Year, Nigerians. God may God keep protecting and blessing our country.
keep our troops safe, and eradicate those who seek to obstruct our country’s stability, security, and peace.
To all of you, a happy new year.
