Nigeria At 66: Tinubu Acknowledges Nigerians Still Struggle With Food, School Fees
President Bola Tinubu has acknowledged that millions of Nigerians still struggle to afford food, school fees, medical bills and transportation, saying his administration is aware of the hardship facing families across the country.
Tinubu made the admission in his Independence Day address on Thursday, October 1, 2026, as Nigeria marked its 66th anniversary.
He said: “I am also conscious that millions of our fellow citizens cannot wait for tomorrow. Some Nigerian families still struggle today for the next meal, the next school fee, the next medical bill, or simply enough money to get to work.”
The President, however, argued that the hardship did not begin with the economic reforms introduced by his administration.
He said: “Their circumstances did not begin with the reforms of the last three years. Their struggle is the accumulated consequence of decades of low productivity, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient opportunity and institutions that too often failed those who needed them most.”
Tinubu acknowledged that the challenges would not be completely reversed within a single four-year administration but said his government could change the country’s direction.
“We cannot erase in four years what accumulated over generations. But we can change its course. We can build an economy that steadily lifts people out of poverty while ensuring that those who remain vulnerable are not abandoned along the way,” he said.
The President said the government was strengthening direct support for poorer households and improving the National Social Register to ensure that assistance reaches vulnerable Nigerians.
He also highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, which he said was helping low-income families support their children’s higher education, as well as CREDICORP, which provides consumer credit for working Nigerians.
Tinubu said the Federal Government would continue working with state and local governments to strengthen primary healthcare, basic education and other essential public services.
The President further said his administration’s objective was not merely to manage poverty but to eliminate it through sustained economic growth and increased opportunities.
