Category Nigeria News

Infinix joins millions of Nigerians in observing a country known for its strength, resilience, and progress-seeking nation as it celebrates its 65th anniversary today.

Nigeria is more than just a market; it is home, according to Infinix. The Nigerian people’s creativity, determination, and drive have inspired the brand, which has helped the brand develop. Infinix has consistently provided technology that empowers its workforce to dream big, stay connected, and achieve more in a world where Nigeria rises and redefines its position.

Infinix has achieved remarkable accomplishments in Nigeria over the years, consistently receiving praise for its innovative products that are top-notch and that are in line with the lifestyle of the digital generation. The brand has redefined itself as a lifestyle choice for bold, ambitious Nigerians who fuses high-end technology with local icons and social norms.

Nigeria and the commitment made by Infinix to Nigeria

Beyond providing devices, Infinix has heavily invested in initiatives that provide opportunities for young Nigerians to succeed in the digital era. The brand has consistently demonstrated its commitment to building capacity, supporting creativity, and positioning Nigerian youth for success in an increasingly technology-driven world, from advancing education and innovation to creating platforms for talent development and global exposure. These initiatives demonstrate Infinix’s unwavering commitment to promoting innovation and empowerment among those who use technology as well as investing in its users.

Infinix has also advocated for young people’s empowerment by supporting young entrepreneurs, influencers, and tech enthusiasts, giving them platforms for self-expression and development while ensuring that technology is used as a source of opportunity. Through active community involvement, from sponsoring entertainment shows to working with local talent, it continues to celebrate the creativity and enthusiasm of the country’s young people.

Looking Forward

As we observe Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day, Oluwayemisi Ode, Integrated Marketing Communications & PR Manager at Infinix Nigeria, made a point about how the shared values of resilience, creativity, and progress are still a source of inspiration for the brand. This spirit drives our company’s mission at the very core. Our goal has always been to develop tools that enable the use of modern technology in everyday Nigerians. We firmly believe in a young, vibrant Nigeria, and we will continue to develop technology that is in line with its aspirations.

Infinix reiterates its commitment to supporting the country on its path of development and transformation as Nigeria honors this milestone.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), according to Binta Bello, the agency’s director general, has detained five suspected traffickers and rescued 24 human trafficking victims.

The feat was accomplished when it led a high-powered special operation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, according to a statement released by NAPTIP’s national press officer, Vincent Adekoye, on Wednesday.

A retired senior uniform officer with one of Nigeria’s top law enforcement organizations, who was allegedly a prominent member of the trafficking syndicate operating in the South West region, was one of the suspect human traffickers detained at the airport, according to the statement.

The Director General’s recent anti-human trafficking efforts and attack onslaught against human trafficking, which targeted recruitment centers, trafficking spots, and routes within Nigeria, were described by the organization as a continuation of the development.

In response to the increased reports of Nigerians being recruited and exploited both domestically and abroad, Bello had ordered a few months ago to increase surveillance and monitoring of all areas of the nation, with particular attention given to motor parks, waterways in the coastal states, and international airports.

Following a tip-off from concerned stakeholders and partners, who received information about the influx of suspected human trafficking victims at Abuja’s international airport and the unhygienic practices of some suspected traffickers.

NAPTIP claimed that the human trafficking activities had been “completely disrupted” after almost six hours of operation.

The victims were traveling to Iraq, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Afghanistan when they were recruited from Kano, Kastina, Oyo, Ondo, and Rivers States, where they were between the ages of 15 and 26.

Some of the victims were said to be unaware of the location of their intended country of destination, despite the fact that many of them could not communicate in any other language besides their dialect.

They informed my mother that I would be traveling to Europe to work and make money. One of their parents commented, “My parents were happy and they gave me permission to follow them.”

One of the victims, who had promised to bring her father’s falsehood charges against her, staged yet another mild drama at NAPTIP’s headquarters. After the Director General had personally given the victims a series of video clips of some stranded Nigerians and those who were being abused at the destination countries, he had offered them some insight.

While watching the video of those girls who were being abused and beaten by the traffickers, the victim said, “I struggled to hold my emotions.” I won’t go if that’s what awaits me there. Because my father deceived me, I’m really angry with him. My father informed me that his friend works for me at a Baghdad supermarket. It is in Iraq, he didn’t tell me. I am aware that Iraq is currently a bad place to work because of the Iraqi crisis, but I am unaware that Baghdad is there. I appreciate DG and her officers’ rescue, but I still need my passport and want to return to my hometown. The victim, whose father was one of the traffickers arrested, gave in her native dialect as she pleaded for help. “I will definitely make it here rather than suffer in another country,” she said.

Kogi mourns as the boat accident’s death toll rises to 26.

The Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, who spoke about the development, expressed concern over the continued deception, recruitment, and exploitation of Nigerians through various forms of exploitation.

We were able to detain five suspected members of the trafficking gang, who had been recruiting and facilitating human trafficking to various tension-strengthening nations, particularly in the Middle East, for exploitation, today, which impressed me with the outcome of the operation.

We have decided to turn our attention to the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport because we have observed that these traffickers are finding it difficult to leave their homes. We will continue this raid until this illegal and unpatriotic activity is stopped.

“It shocked me that a father, a retired law enforcement officer in the senior cadre, defrauded his daughter and sold her out in Iraq for exploitation,” he said. This is incredibly unbelievable. All of them will face the law and be thoroughly investigated.

I sincerely thank and appreciate the support of the NAPTIP Director General, the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport Manager, and all the wonderful staff members of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria. I appreciate the assistance of the airport security personnel, immigration officers, airport security personnel, and airline operators.

Beginning on Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) announced the resumption of passenger train services along the Abuja–Kaduna corridor.

Commercial service will resume following the successful completion of all necessary safety, technical, and operational checks, according to Callistus Unyimadu, the company’s chief public relations officer.

The second train derailed at the same station in the previous 13 months, making the development happen on August 26. Shortly after passing a manually operated switch point that had previously been deemed unusable, the incident occurred.

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) conducted an investigation to discover that the train’s derailment was caused by malfunctioning infrastructure and safety management blunders.

However, NRC’s update stated that the train’s necessary checks had been completed.

This action demonstrates the Corporation’s commitment to providing the traveling public with smooth, trustworthy, and secure train services.

Read more about how Tinubu Assures Nigerians: Tax Law Will Provide Relief for Low-Income Earners.

Following the August 26, 2025 incident, the Corporation updated the passenger welfare.

“530 of the 583 passengers on board were contacted by phone, of which 512 have received refunds successfully.

“All 22 injured passengers have been contacted, many of whom have been seen by our medical team, and they will receive one free ride a week through December 31, 2025.

Before December 31, 2025, all 618 passengers on board the ship during the accident on August 26, 2025, will be eligible for one free ride.

As the train resumes its operations, it provided detailed information about the services available.

Abuja-Kaduna Train Service schedule

Abuja – Kaduna&nbsp, IDU: 8: 45

Kubwa: 9: 05

Rigassa: 12: 42 (Arrive)

Abuja and Kaduna

RIgassa: 14: 30

Kubwa: 18: 02

IDU: 18: 23 (Arrive)

NRC later claimed that the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service’s maintenance schedule was for each Wednesday.

The NRC reiterates its commitment to providing safe, reliable, affordable, efficient, secure, and more customer-friendly train transportation options throughout the nation and appreciates the patience and understanding of all Nigerians, especially train passengers during the suspension.

On the occasion of the country’s 65th anniversary of independence, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has urged citizens to make more sacrifices.

CAN’s President, Daniel Okoh, said that patriotism and faith in God could help the country overcome its difficulties in a statement released on Wednesday.

Read more about Tinubu’s message to Nigerians: The Worst Is Over, Yesterday’s Pains Are Relieving, and Read More.

“Can as a faith community believes that collective sacrifice, patriotism, and faith in God can help us overcome the difficulties we face.”

We therefore urge all Nigerians, leaders and citizens to unite and to work together for the common good, the statement read.

The Christian Brotherhood, however, called on the Federal Government to address the numerous challenges and decried the security situation there.

The CAN President praised Nigerians’ resilience, citing how they “performed during the civil war, years of instability, and frequent economic and social crises.”

Read more about Peace returning to the North-East and North-West communities, in Tinubu.

Our people continue to believe in the promise of a better Nigeria despite these challenges.

“We applaud the undeniable advancements made over the years in the fields of education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, telecommunications, and other industries.

Our nation today boasts thousands of young men and women who continue to shape the country’s future, according to Okoh, “from a small number of schools and institutions at independence.”

Tinubu Changes

He praised the President Bola Tinubu administration’s economic reforms and called for them to be done.

Okoh complained, however, that Nigerians have endured untold hardship as a result of the reforms.

However, we must also be open about the nation-building process’s progress. Although necessary, economic reforms have caused millions of people temporary hardship.

Households are still impacted significantly by inflation, food insecurity, unemployment, and rising costs of living. True progress must be measured by everything from the statistics to the food on every table, community security, and opportunities for every child.

We pray that God will grant our leaders the strength, courage, and wisdom to implement reforms, and that He will protect them from sycophants who don’t want our country to prosper, he continued.

Security, in his opinion, still poses an urgent problem. Deep enslavement and displacement have resulted from banditry, kidnapping, and tribal conflict.

More needs to be done, according to Okoh, to ensure the protection of lives and property.

Given that Nigeria exports more than it imports, President Bola Tinubu has once more assured the country that the country’s economy is on a growth trajectory.

The President’s announcement on Wednesday, which coincides with Nigeria’s 65th anniversary, was made known during his speech.

According to him, Nigeria has become a net exporter, recording a trade surplus of $4.7 billion ($4.7 billion) in the most recent quarter, the largest trade surplus ever to reach $4.7 billion.

He claimed that while non-oil exports, which are a component of export trade, currently account for 52% of the Federal Government’s revenue, non-oil exports, as a component of that country’s GDP, increased by 173% during the period under review, compared to oil exports, which currently account for 52%.

We are now selling more to the world than we are buying, which strengthens our currency and creates jobs here. This indicates that we are diversifying our oil and gas sources and our foreign exchange markets.

He claimed that the external reserves of Nigeria’s economy increased by $ 42.03 billion in September 2025, the highest level since 2019.

He claimed that the ratio has increased from less than 10% to 13.5%, and that it will increase even further once the new tax law becomes effective in January.

The purpose of the tax law is to “extend the base to build the Nigeria we deserve and to provide tax relief to low-income earners,” the statement read.

Oil is abounding.

The President reported that from May 2023, oil production increased to 1.6 million barrels per day, up from just one million.

He connected the Niger Delta’s improved security, new investments, and stakeholder management.

Additionally, for the first time in four decades, the nation has significantly improved by refining PMS domestically. Additionally, it has established itself as the top aviation fuel exporter on the continent.

Read more about Peace returning to the North-East and North-West communities, in Tinubu.

Naira stabilizes

He claimed that due to FX reforms and new capital and remittance inflows, the Naira has recovered from the turbulence and volatility experienced in 2023 and 2024.

“The multiple exchange rates, which promoted corruption and arbitrage, are now a part of history. Additionally, fluctuations in crude oil prices no longer affect our exchange rate for the dollar.

Tinubu noted that 330 billion has been distributed to eight million households as part of the social investment initiative to support the underprivileged and vulnerable Nigerians. Many of those households have received one or two of the three tranches of $25,000 each.

He claimed that coal mining, one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing sectors, increased dramatically from a 22% decline in Q1 to a 57.5% increase in Q2.

“Our economy now depends heavily on the solid mineral sector, which promotes the production of minerals from our soil to add value.”

The President added that the administration is expanding its transportation network, including airports, roads, rail, and seaports.

“Rail and water transportation increased, respectively, by over 40% and 27%. The Kaduna-Kano rail line, which runs for 284 kilometers, is nearing completion.

The legacy Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Highway are both making good progress. To bring the Eastern Rail Project to completion, the Federal Executive Council recently approved $3 billion.

Stock market booms

The President claimed that the stock market has experienced a boom and that the world is now taking notice of the economic reform efforts.

The outlook for Nigeria has been improved thanks to the improvement in our economic fundamentals, according to sovereign credit rating agencies.

Our stock market is experiencing an unheard boom, rising from a 55-kilo point all-share index in May 2003 to 142-kilo point as of September 26, 2025.

At its most recent meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), he noted the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s (MPC) cut interest rates to 27%.

The Central Bank cut interest rates at its most recent MPC meeting to show confidence in the country’s macroeconomic stability, he said, adding that the economy was on the verge of recovery.

Our economy is recovering quickly under our leadership, and the reforms we started more than two years ago are having tangible effects. Nigeria’s fastest rate in four years, 4.2%, outpaces the 3.4% forecast by the International Monetary Fund, and its second quarter 2025 gross domestic product increased by 4.2%. The lowest level in three years was reached in August 2025, at 20.12%. The administration is diligently reducing food costs and increasing agricultural production.

We have achieved 12 noteworthy economic milestones as a result of the implementation of our sound fiscal and monetary policies in the last two years of our administration.

He added that there has been a significant increase in the non-oil sector, which would indicate a significant decrease in the country’s traditional dependence on oil.

We have exceeded our 2025 goal by exceeding N20 trillion in non-oil revenue, which is a record-breaking increase. We raised N3.65 trillion alone in September 2025, or 41% more than the N3.65 trillion that was raised in May 2023.

The President also pointed out that the nation’s debt-to-income ratio has significantly decreased from 97% to just under 50%.

PRESIDENT OF THE FEBRUARY OF NIGERIA ONCE, HIS EXCELLENCE BOLA AHNED TINUBU, GCFR, ONCE, ONCE, ONCE, IN DURING THE NATIONAL BROADCAST
THE 65TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY OF NIGERIA,
OCTOBER 1, 2025

Fellow Nigerians,
Our great nation’s independence was celebrated today at the age of 65. As we reflect on the significance of this day and our journey of nationhood since October 1, 1960, when our founding fathers accepted the instruments of self-government from colonial rule, let us remember their sacrifice, devotion, and grand dream of a strong, prosperous, and united Nigeria that will lead Africa and be the beacon of light to the rest of the world.

Our founding fathers, including Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Margaret Ekpo, Anthony Enahoro, Michael Okpara, Aminu Kano, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and other nationalists, believed that Nigeria was the largest black nation on earth in terms of manifest destiny.

For decades, the promise of our Independence has been tested by profound social, economic, and political challenges, and we have survived. We haven’t strayed too far from our forebearers’ lofty goals, even though we may not have had them all. In 65 years since our Independence, we have made tremendous progress in economic growth, social cohesion, and physical development. Since 1960, our economy has grown significantly.

Although, it is much easier for those whose vocation is to focus solely on what ought to be, we must recognise and celebrate our significant progress. Today, more education and healthcare are available to Nigerians than they did in 1960. At Independence, Nigeria had 120 secondary schools with a student population of about 130, 000. According to available data, our nation had more than 23, 000 secondary schools as of the year 2024. At Independence, we had only the University of Ibadan and Yaba College of Technology as the two tertiary institutions in Nigeria. At the end of last year, there were 274 universities, 183 polytechnics, and 236 colleges of education in Nigeria, including private, public, and federal institutions. We have experienced a significant surge in growth across every sector of our national life since Independence – in healthcare, infrastructure, financial services, manufacturing, telecommunications, information technology, aviation and defence, among others.

Read more about Tinubu’s assurances that the worst is over.

Our country has experienced both the good and the bad times in its 65 years of nationhood, as is normal for every nation and its people. We endured significant political crises, military dictatorships, and bitter and avoidable civil wars. In all these, we weathered every storm and overcame every challenge with courage, grit, and uncommon determination. We continue to strive to create a more perfect union where every Nigerian can find better housing and fulfillment while our system and ties that bind us occasionally are strained by ingrained forces hostile to our values and ways of living.

Fellow Compatriots, this is the third time I will address you on our independence anniversary since I assumed office as your President on May 29, 2023. Like our founding fathers and other before-meeting leaders, I have unwaveringly committed myself to the unfinished nation-building project in my last 28 months of administration.

Upon assuming office, our administration inherited a near-collapsed economy caused by decades of fiscal policy distortions and misalignment that had impaired real growth. We had the option to continue with normal operations and watch our country decline as a new administration, or to take a courageous, fundamental reform path. We chose the path of reform. We chose tomorrow over today’s comfort. Less than three years later, the seeds of those difficult but necessary decisions are bearing fruit.

We ended the corrupt fuel subsidies and numerous foreign exchange rates that had a negative impact on a tiny minority of the population by restoring our nation to sustainable growth. At the same time, the masses received little or nothing from our Commonwealth. By directing money to support essential economic infrastructure like roads, power, broadband, national security, agriculture, and social investment programs, our administration has redirected the economy toward a more inclusive path. These initiatives will generally improve Nigerians ‘ quality of life. The Federal and State governments, including local governments, now have more resources to care for the people at the lower end of the scale and address our development challenges as a result of the tough decisions we made.

Fellow Nigerians, we are racing against time. We must construct the roads we need, repair the ones that are broken, and build the hospitals where our children will attend. We have to plan for the generations that will come after us. Because we didn’t make the necessary investments decades ago, we still don’t have the resources to power our industries and homes today. Likewise, we don’t have the resources to repair our deteriorating roads, build seaports, railroads, and other international airports that are comparable to the best in the world. Our administration is setting things right.

We’ve finally made a turn, I’m happy to report. The worst is over, I say. Relief is replacing the pain of yesterday. I salute your endurance, support, and understanding. I’ll continue to work for you and defend the trust you placed in me to help us steer the ship to a safe harbor.

Under our leadership, our economy is recovering fast, and the reforms we started over two years ago are delivering tangible results. Nigeria’s fastest rate in four years, 4.2%, outpaces the 3.4% forecast by the International Monetary Fund, and its second quarter 2025 gross domestic product increased by 4.2%. Inflation declined to 20.12% in August 2025, the lowest level in three years. The administration is diligently reducing food costs and increasing agricultural production.

In the last two years of our administration, we have achieved 12 remarkable economic milestones as a result of the implementation of our sound fiscal and monetary policies:

i . We have attained a record-breaking increase in non-oil revenue, achieving the 2025 target by August with over N20 trillion. We raised N3.65 trillion alone in September 2025, which is 41% more than the amount raised in May 2023.

ii. Our debt-to-revenue ratio has been significantly lowered from 97% to below 50%, restoring fiscal health. We have paid down the infamous “Ways and Means” advances that threatened our economic stability and triggered inflation. We have given up trillions of Naira for targeted investment in the real economy and social programs for the most vulnerable as well as all levels of government as a result of the removal of the corrupt petroleum subsidy.

iii. More foreign reserves are available than they were three years ago. Our external reserves increased to $42.03 billion this September—the highest since 2019.

iv . Our tax-to-GDP ratio has risen to 13.5 per cent from less than 10 per cent. When the new tax law becomes effective in January, the ratio is anticipated to increase even more. The tax law is not about increasing the burden on existing taxpayers but about expanding the base to build the Nigeria we deserve and providing tax relief to low-income earners.

v. We are now a net exporter: For the fifth consecutive quarter, Nigeria has had a trade surplus. We are now selling more to the world than we are buying, a fundamental shift that strengthens our currency and creates jobs at home. The largest trade surplus in the past three years was 7.46 trillion ($4.74 billion), up 44.3% from the previous quarter. Goods manufactured in Nigeria and exported jumped by 173%. Compared to oil exports, which account for 52%, non-oil exports currently account for 48% of our export trade. This signals that we are diversifying our economy and foreign exchange sources outside oil and gas.

vi . Oil production rebounded to 1.68 million barrels per day from barely one million in May 2023. Improved security, new investments, and better stakeholder management in the Niger Delta contributed to the increase. Furthermore, the country has made notable advancements by refining PMS domestically for the first time in four decades. Additionally, it has established itself as the top aviation fuel exporter on the continent.

vii. Since the turbulence and volatility of 2023 and 2024, the Naira has stabilized. The gap between the official rate and the unofficial market has reduced substantially, following FX reforms and fresh capital and remittance inflows. The multiple exchange rates, which led to arbitrage and corruption, are now a part of history. Additionally, our currency rate against the dollar is no longer determined by fluctuations in crude oil prices.

viii . Under the social investment programme to support poor households and vulnerable Nigerians, N330 billion has been disbursed to eight million households, many of whom have received either one or two out of the three tranches of the N25, 000 each.

ix . Coal mining recovered dramatically from a 22% decline in Q1 to 57.5% growth in Q2, becoming one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing sectors. Our economy now depends heavily on the solid mineral sector, which promotes the production of minerals from our soils with value.

x. The administration is expanding the country’s transportation infrastructure, including airports, roads, rail, and seaports. Rail and water transport grew by over 40% and 27%, respectively. The Kaduna-Kano rail line, which runs for 284 kilometers, is nearing completion. Work is progressing well on the legacy Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Highway. To bring the Eastern Rail Project to completion, the Federal Executive Council recently approved $3 billion.

xi. Our efforts are being praised by the world. Sovereign credit rating agencies have upgraded their outlook for Nigeria, recognising our improved economic fundamentals. Our stock market is experiencing a never-before-seen boom, rising from a May 2003 all-share index of 55,000 to 142,000 as of September 26, 2025.

xii. The Central Bank cut interest rates for the first time in five years at its most recent MPC meeting, expressing confidence in our nation’s macroeconomic stability.

SECURITY:

We are working diligently to enhance national security, ensuring our economy experiences improved growth and performance. Our armed forces, as well as other security organizations, are making significant sacrifices to protect us. They are winning the war against terrorism, banditry and other violent crimes. We can see how much they have worked tirelessly to eradicate banditry and kidnapping in the North-East, IPOB/ESN terror in the South-east, and Boko Haram terror in the North-East. We must continue to celebrate their gallantry and salute their courage on behalf of a grateful nation. In addition to our liberated communities in the North-West and the North-East, peace has come back to the homes of thousands of our citizens.

YOUTH:

I have a message for our young people. You will be our country’s greatest asset and the country’s future. You must continue to dream big, innovate, and conquer more territories in your various fields of science, technology, sports, and the art and creative sector. You will continue to have wings to fly skyward thanks to our administration’s policies and funding. We created NELFUND to support students with loans for their educational pursuits. This initiative, which covers 228 higher institutions, has benefited approximately 510, 000 students from 36 states and the FCT. As of September 10, the total loan disbursed was N99.5 billion, while the upkeep allowance stood at N44.7 billion.

153, 000 Nigerians have received N30 billion in affordable loans for cars, solar energy, home improvements, digital devices, and other items thanks to Credicorp, another initiative under our administration.

YouthCred, which I promised last June, is a reality, with tens of thousands of NYSC members now active beneficiaries of consumer credit for resettlement.

We established the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) program as part of our Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to create a Nigeria where every young person, regardless of their background, has an equal chance to have a better future. The Bank of Industry is driving the programme, in collaboration with the African Development Bank, the French Development Agency, and the Islamic Development Bank. This initiative is about to start going into operation. Over the last two years, we have collaborated with our partners to launch the programme, supporting our young builders and dreamers in the technology and creative sectors.

A STORY OF HOPE

Fellow Nigerians, I have always candidly acknowledged that these reforms have come with some temporary pains. Our government continues to be concerned about the negative effects of inflation and the rising living costs. However, the alternative of allowing our country to descend into economic chaos or bankruptcy was not an option. Our sacrifices have not been in vain, as shown by our macroeconomic advancement. Together, we are laying a new foundation cast in concrete, not on quicksand.

The success of our country will depend more heavily on the food on our families’ tables, the standard of education given to our children, the electricity we use in our homes, and the security in our communities. Let me assure you of our administration’s determination to ensure that the resources we have saved and the stability we have built are channelled into these critical areas. More developments are being made today with the governors at the state level and the autonomy of the local government.

Therefore, on this 65th Anniversary of Our Independence, my message is hope and a call to action. The federal government will continue to assist with our economy’s plumbing. Now, we must all turn on the taps of productivity, innovation, and enterprise, just like the Ministry of Interior has done with our travel passports, by quickening the processing. In this regard, I urge the local governments to support our efforts to build a nation. Let us be a nation of producers, not just consumers. Let’s grow our own food on our land and build factories to process our produce. Let us patronise ‘ Made-in-Nigeria ‘ goods. Nigeria comes first, I say. Let us pay our taxes.

Let’s put the finishing touches on all hands. Let us believe, once more, in the boundless potential of our great nation.

I can assure you that a new, prosperous, and self-sufficient Nigeria is on its way with the help of Almighty God.

Happy 65th Independence Anniversary, and may God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Amen.