By Francis Wilfred
The Federal Government has defended the economic and social reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying Nigeria is gradually overcoming its economic and security challenges and is on the path to sustainable recovery. Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, stated this on Tuesday while addressing a national press conference in Abuja to mark the 2026 Democracy Day celebration.
Akume said available economic indicators demonstrated that the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda was beginning to yield positive results. He noted that Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.07 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2025 and 3.89 per cent in the first quarter of 2026.
While acknowledging the hardship caused by inflation and persistent insecurity, the SGF maintained that the government remained focused on addressing the challenges and improving citizens’ welfare. “Government will never claim that every challenge has been solved. Inflation has been painful, though it is on a downward trend. Insecurity still threatens lives and livelihoods, but evidence shows that the country is moving in the right direction,” he said.
Highlighting achievements recorded under the administration, Akume disclosed that more than three million vulnerable households had benefited from the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer Programme. He added that nearly one million Nigerians had accessed support through government-backed credit schemes.
According to him, the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation disbursed N37 billion in consumer loans, while the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) supported over 1.058 million students with more than N184 billion released for tuition fees and upkeep allowances. The SGF also pointed to progress in healthcare, anti-corruption efforts and security, noting that over N50 billion in recovered assets had been channelled to support NELFUND.
He called on Nigerians to remain united, tolerant and supportive of government efforts, stressing that the administration would continue implementing reforms aimed at delivering greater dividends of democracy as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
