By Nkechi Eze
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has highlighted what he described as significant gains recorded by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration in the economy, infrastructure, agriculture, energy and security sectors.
Akume said the reforms and investments undertaken by the administration since 2023 were beginning to yield results, stressing that the measures were necessary to restore economic stability and lay the foundation for sustainable national development.
According to an official statement signed by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the SGF, Yomi Odunuga, Akume stated this on Wednesday in Abuja while delivering a lecture at the 66th Independence Anniversary Lecture, organised under the theme, “Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress.”
The SGF said the administration took difficult decisions at inception, including the removal of petrol subsidy, unification of the foreign exchange market and fiscal reforms, describing them as necessary measures to rebuild economic stability.
Citing World Bank data, Akume said Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.2 per cent in the first half of 2026, compared with 3.9 per cent during the corresponding period of the previous year.
He, however, stressed that the priority was to ensure that economic growth translated into jobs, higher incomes and improved living standards for Nigerians.
On infrastructure, Akume pointed to investments in major projects including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Abuja-Kano Highway, East-West Road and rail modernisation, as well as reforms in the ports sector.
According to him, the investments were aimed at improving connectivity, reducing transportation bottlenecks and strengthening trade routes to support economic growth.
The SGF also highlighted interventions in the power and transportation sectors, saying the government had cleared legacy debts, increased investment and improved transmission and billing, while harnessing Nigeria’s natural gas resources.
He disclosed that more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), with over 400 conversion centres and 90 fuelling stations established nationwide.
Akume said the shift to CNG was helping to reduce transportation costs, while CNG buses were providing cheaper alternatives for millions of commuters.
On agriculture and food security, he said the Federal Government was supporting mechanisation, irrigation, improved seeds, fertiliser, storage and local processing to increase domestic food production.
He also announced that the World Bank had approved a $500 million credit for the Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth (AGROW) project, which he said would improve smallholder productivity, strengthen agricultural value chains and enhance food and nutrition security.
The SGF further identified Nigeria’s youth population as a major national asset, noting that more than 60 per cent of Nigerians are below 25 years.
He said the government had expanded the Education Loan Fund and was strengthening technical and vocational institutions to equip young Nigerians with skills required by industry.
Akume also highlighted government interventions in healthcare and social protection, including the equipping of primary healthcare centres under the IMPACT initiative and expansion of programmes providing cash transfers and essential services to vulnerable households.
On security, the SGF said the administration was strengthening military equipment, intelligence and inter-agency coordination, while implementing a new National Threat Assessment and five-year Strategic Defence Plan.
“Security and welfare of the people is the responsibility of government. Nothing matters more than the safety of our people. When communities have opportunities and trust in justice, crime and violence decline. In that sense, development and security go hand in hand,” he said.
Akume said the Independence Anniversary should serve as a renewed call to national duty, urging Nigerians to remain committed to building a prosperous and united country.
He said the administration’s goal was to create a Nigeria where young graduates could become employers of labour, farmers could increase their productivity and incomes, entrepreneurs could expand their businesses, and citizens could access quality education and healthcare.
“We know the path will not be easy but our goal is clear: shared prosperity for all Nigerians,” Akume said.
