Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that Nigeria has "finished making sacrifices," assuring citizens that the country is on the right path and that peace and development will return, as he appealed for more time to complete the reforms his administration has embarked upon.
The President made the declaration on Friday, September 25, 2026, in a message delivered by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, at a special Juma'at prayer session marking Nigeria's 66th Independence Anniversary at the National Mosque in Abuja. The event was attended by senior government officials, including Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, state governors, National Assembly members, ministers, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, and military chiefs.
"I want to categorically make it clear that Nigeria is on the right path. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Nigeria has finished making sacrifices for this country to be great again," the Speaker quoted the President as saying. Tinubu acknowledged the difficulties Nigerians had experienced but said the country's 66 years of nationhood had also been characterised by growth, resilience and significant achievements. "Any person of 66 years cannot be called a child anymore. Nigeria has become mature, even though when we reflect on the journey from independence to date, Nigeria was bedevilled with a lot of issues in the past, and opportunities as well," he said.
The President said his administration was correcting what he described as the cumulative mistakes and missed opportunities of previous governments. "More importantly, citizens should look at the focus of the government of today, that the mistakes of the past—the cumulative mistakes and the missed opportunities of the past—are being corrected in this particular administration," he said. He urged Nigerians not to lose hope, assuring that peace and development would return as the administration's reforms continued. "My message to the country on behalf of Mr President, the Senate President and all members of the National Assembly is that the citizens should not lose hope. Peace is coming back to this country. Development is coming back to this country. Things will get better as we progress in this democracy," Tajudeen said. The President appealed for more time to complete the work his government had started. "We should give this government more opportunity for it to come back and finish the good work," he said.
The declaration comes against the backdrop of an economic reform programme that has imposed significant hardship on Nigerians since the removal of the petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023. Fuel prices rose from below ₦200 per litre to over ₦1,000, triggering a cost-of-living crisis that has dominated national discourse and become the central issue of the 2027 campaign. Inflation, which peaked at 33.2 per cent in 2024, had moderated to approximately 16 per cent by mid-2026, though purchasing power remains severely eroded for millions of households. The government has pointed to macroeconomic stabilisation, including a more stable naira and improved foreign exchange reserves, as evidence that the reforms are yielding results. Critics, however, argue that the benefits have not reached ordinary Nigerians, who continue to grapple with high food prices, transport costs and unemployment.
The political context of the President's message is impossible to ignore. The 2027 general elections are less than four months away, with the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, and the governorship and state assembly elections for February 6. Tinubu is seeking a second term on the All Progressives Congress platform, while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress and former Anambra Governor Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress are among the major challengers. The President has consistently framed the election as a referendum on continuity versus a return to the past, warning that allowing the opposition to take over would take Nigeria backward.
Opposition figures have seized on the President's remarks to renew their criticism of the administration's economic policies. Atiku Abubakar said in September that the Tinubu government had "lost the right to talk to citizens about sacrifice after taking away their relief and failing to offer real social support". He has also cited a survey showing that 67.4 per cent of respondents favour the restoration of petrol subsidy, arguing that Nigerians have rejected the government's fuel policy. The ADC campaign has consistently positioned the cost of living and fuel prices at the centre of its message, promising to reintroduce subsidy in a different form if elected.
The President's appeal for patience also comes amid a broader debate about the timing and sequencing of the reforms. The World Bank has acknowledged that the measures have placed significant short-term pressure on households and stressed the need for stronger social protection. The government has pointed to initiatives including the compressed natural gas programme, the Nigeria Education Loan Fund and expanded social investment schemes as evidence of its commitment to cushioning the impact. However, the National Labour Congress and organised labour have argued that these measures are insufficient and have demanded a new minimum wage of ₦500,000 and a reduction of petrol price to ₦500 per litre.
The Independence Anniversary celebrations are being held on a low-key basis, with the Federal Government scheduling a series of religious and civic activities ahead of the October 1 anniversary. The prayer session at the National Mosque was followed by a Church Service on Sunday, September 27, and an Independence Day Public Lecture on Wednesday, September 30. President Tinubu is scheduled to deliver a nationwide broadcast on October 1.
For the millions of Nigerians who have endured three years of economic hardship, the President's declaration that the era of sacrifice is over will be tested against their lived experience. The coming months will determine whether the promised "light at the end of the tunnel" materialises in the form of lower prices, more jobs and improved living conditions, or whether the gap between the government's messaging and the reality on the ground continues to widen. As Tinubu put it, Nigeria is on the right path, and the sacrifices have been made. The question now is whether Nigerians will agree.
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