President Bola Tinubu has pledged to sustain economic reforms and deliver tangible benefits to Nigerians, emphasizing that policies must translate into more jobs, better schools, improved healthcare, and expanded opportunities.
Speaking at the close of the two-day National Economic Council (NEC) conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Tinubu, represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, described reform as an ongoing process requiring courage, patience, and consistency.
He said: “The decisions we make here must translate into visible improvements in the daily lives of all Nigerians, in jobs created, businesses supported, roads constructed, schools strengthened, healthcare improved and opportunities expanded.”
Tinubu commended Vice President Kashim Shettima for leading NEC effectively and thanked governors, ministers, development partners, and private sector stakeholders for their contributions. He stressed the need for stronger federal-state collaboration and disciplined policy execution, adding that the Renewed Hope agenda is a national commitment demanding action beyond dialogue.
“I leave this conference reassured that we are aligned in purpose and united in responsibility. Together, we will build a more resilient economy, a more inclusive society and a stronger Federation,” he said.
The conference, themed “Delivering Inclusive Growth and Sustainable National Development: The Renewed Hope National Development Plan,” produced a communiqué with key recommendations across multiple sectors.
Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Deborah Odoh, presented the resolutions, which include:
– Sustaining and expanding the mandate of the NEC committee against crude oil theft.
– Urging stronger partnerships between federal and state governments, the private sector, civil society, and development partners to drive inclusive and sustainable development.
– Commending 12 states that have passed harmonised tax laws and pressing the remaining 25 states (13 with pending bills and 11 yet to start) to enact similar laws to eliminate multiple taxation and support the new national tax reform framework.
– Calling for increased per capita spending on health, education, and youth employment to boost human capital and economic participation, while noting that Nigeria’s underinvestment in these sectors lags behind peer countries and requires urgent correction.
– Recommending non-kinetic approaches to complement military efforts against insecurity, including addressing unemployment and poverty, stronger inter-agency cooperation, and state alignment with the national security framework under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
– Expanding concessional financing for productive sectors, securing production corridors, improving federal-state coordination on domestic production, optimising investment in oil and gas, and accelerating diversification into non-oil sectors.
– Expediting constitutional amendments to resolve inconsistencies in fiscal federalism and enable smooth implementation of the tax regime across all government tiers.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, speaking to journalists after the event, said the resolutions must reach beyond government to include the organised private sector and legislature. He appreciated the opportunity to understand challenges across different regions and urged fellow governors to fully implement the decisions, noting that Nigerians will only benefit from execution.
Sanwo-Olu highlighted progress in federal-state collaboration under Tinubu and stressed that real development occurs at the subnational level, closest to the people.
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun praised the administration’s macroeconomic reforms for restoring investor confidence, pointing to stability in the foreign exchange market and greater willingness to hold the naira. He described major infrastructure projects like the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway and Sokoto-Badagry road as significant enablers of economic activity, adding that governors have “never had it so good” in terms of federal support.
The conference, organised by Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, drew over 300 delegates, including governors, deputy governors, ministers, the Inspector-General of Police, National Assembly members, and representatives from international development partners and the private sector.
It served as a platform to review critical economic issues and align subnational governments with the Tinubu administration’s vision under the Renewed Hope National Development Plan 2026–2030.
