President Bola Tinubu has declared that 2026 will mark the beginning of a more robust phase of economic growth for Nigeria, with a renewed focus on reducing inflation, strengthening foreign reserves, and sustaining GDP expansion.
In his New Year message to the nation on Thursday, the President expressed confidence in the country’s collective resolve, assuring citizens that the coming year would bring greater prosperity for all who call Nigeria home.
Reflecting on 2025, Tinubu stated that his administration sustained momentum on major reforms, achieved a fiscal reset, and recorded steady economic progress despite persistent global headwinds.
He highlighted tangible gains over the past year as evidence that the government’s “difficult but necessary reforms” are moving the nation in the right direction.
“These achievements reaffirm our belief that the difficult but necessary reforms we embarked upon are moving us in the right direction with more concrete results on the horizon for the ordinary Nigerian,” he said.
The President disclosed that Nigeria closed 2025 with annualised GDP growth expected to exceed four percent, while maintaining trade surpluses and achieving greater exchange rate stability. Inflation, he noted, declined steadily to below 15 percent, in line with the administration’s target.
“In 2026, we are determined to reduce inflation further and ensure that the benefits of reform reach every Nigerian household,” Tinubu pledged.
He also pointed to significant improvements in key economic indicators:
– The Nigerian Stock Exchange posted a 48.12 percent gain in 2025, continuing a bullish trend that began in late 2023.
– Foreign reserves stood at $45.4 billion as of December 29, 2025, providing a strong buffer for the Naira.
– Foreign Direct Investment rose to $720 million in Q3 2025, up from $90 million in the previous quarter, reflecting renewed investor confidence.
The President noted that these gains have been acknowledged by global credit rating agencies, including Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s, which have consistently affirmed Nigeria’s improving economic outlook.
Tinubu expressed optimism that Nigeria’s economic position would strengthen further in the new year, with policies aimed at ensuring stability, attracting investment, and delivering tangible benefits to households across the country.
