By Egena Sunday Ode
President Bola Tinubu has admitted that millions of Nigerians still struggle for meals, school fees and medical bills, but vowed his administration will defeat poverty.
In his 66th Independence broadcast, Tinubu said the hardship predates his reforms.
“Their struggle is the accumulated consequence of decades of low productivity, inadequate infrastructure and institutions that failed those who needed them most,” he said.
What government is doing
Tinubu listed social protection measures as a bridge to prosperity:
– Strengthening National Social Register for poorest households
– NELFUND: student loans for low-income families
– CREDICORP: consumer credit for vehicles, solar, devices
– Timely payment of salaries and pensions since 2023
– Reform of national pension programme
– Stronger primary healthcare and basic education with states
“These programmes are not substitutes for prosperity. They are a bridge. Our objective is not to manage poverty more efficiently. We will defeat it,” he said.
The president said defeating poverty will require discipline, sustained growth and millions of productive jobs.
“We cannot erase in four years what accumulated over generations. But we can change its course,” he said.
He described the promised land as a Nigeria of abundance where prosperity is broadly shared and every child can dream beyond birth circumstances.
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