Three Years in Office: Tinubu Defends Reforms, Says Nigeria Undergoing Historic Test

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:05]We have to look at what's making the headlines in the papers this morning.

[00:00:08]>> And I say congratulations. Uh 3:00 to Nigeria's Nigeria's um administration under President Tinu's watch. I'm sure you have a lot in the off.

[00:00:18]>> Absolutely. And funny enough, that's actually our top story for the day. It's in the front of all of our publications today. But let's take the one from our sister publication of this day and the headline there reads three years in office. Tinubu defends reforms and says Nigeria is undergoing historic test. He reveals that he inherited an economy that's on the brink of physical breakdown. That same headline is on the front of other newspapers such as New Telegraph, but that reads differently.

[00:00:52]3rd anniversary. Tinubu vows to ensure lower food prices and transport fairs.

[00:00:58]Says that the government is investing in intelligence, surveillance and others to tame insecurity and caution citizens against cynicism and division. Also 2027 presidency alleges plot to use religion against Tinubu. Still in new Telegraph, another headline reads xenophobia. this issue. Once again, anger rises in South Africa as rioting pupils ask Nigerians and others to leave schools. Meanwhile, 105 Nigerians are killed have been killed in the past 7 years says the Nigerian community that is there in South Africa. Also, New Telegraph Kaduna Christian worshippers regain their freedom months after their abduction.

[00:01:47]All right, let's take a look at what's happening in Daily Independent. Our top story for today about Tinubu's three years in power has a different reading here. Nigeria has stabilized moving forward again says Tinubu. Another headline in Daily Independent, Telos burn 860 billion naira on diesel in one year to keep networks alive. Also on page seven, NCDC places Lagos and Abuja and eight other states on high Ebola rate. All right, let's take a look at one more local paper that is the Guardian 2027.

[00:02:29]We must unite to rescue Nigeria. A tiku tells ADC aspirants and coalition estimates 19,980 killings, 12,362 abductions in a space of 3 years. Also in the Guardian, Turaki led PDP to ratify Jonathan's presidential nomination bid. Okay, let's take a look at what's happening in the international papers. Starting with the Guardian, Labour plans welfare shakeup as a scale of youth jobs crisis is revealed. And also a top story there, Netanyahu tells army to take 70% of Gaza. How shocking that was not what was agreed in October of 2025.

[00:03:17]>> Negotiating from the point of power.

[00:03:19]>> Absolutely. Is this still a negotiation?

[00:03:21]>> Still threatening the ceasefire deal.

[00:03:23]Absolutely. Also in the Guardian, SA Yanik wilts in the heat at the French Open. A sad picture there of Yanik SA as he is drained and dehydrated.

[00:03:35]So sad that men's top number one had to step aside for others and uh you know it's it's it's a very it's a very sad loss I I believe. Yes. Yes. For all those tennis fans out there. Still looking at the world of sport. Let's take a look at what's happening in the Sun newspaper. World Cup scam chaos.

[00:03:57]FIFA illegal ticket hikes have been probed and the US Congress and three states step in with the headline that reads, "It's all kicking off." Wow.

[00:04:08]Those are your headlines. So, let's take a look at what's happening in detail.

[00:04:13]Starting with this day newspaper. In this day, it says three years after power, economy, security on the scale.

[00:04:22]That's also the headline in the Daily Trust. And the new Telegraph says third anniversary. Tinubu vows to ensure lower food prices and transport fairs.

[00:04:34]Now, 3 years into President Bolam Tinubu's government, the administration says its reforms are no longer just words on paper. They are now showing up in airports, roads, power projects, and big investments. When Tinubu took office in 2023, Nigeria's economy was battling several issues. Low foreign reserves, huge debts, and investors who had lost faith in the country. The government made painful moves like removing fuel subsidy and changing the exchange rate system. decisions that hit many Nigerians hard but was sold as necessary for the economy. While the government now says that those tough policies are starting to bear fruit with foreign reserves rising, investments increasing and the economy growing again. Global financial bodies such as the World Bank, Moody's and SNP global ratings have given Nigeria better um better ratings and uh signaling that international investors are starting to trust the country again. The administration is pushing public private partnerships hard, inviting big investors to help build airports, roads, power plants, ports, and digital infrastructure instead of government carrying the load alone. However, Manga, over 7 trillion naira has been poured into Nigeria's power sector since privatization. Yet, many Nigerians still stay in the dark.

[00:06:06]The federal government has now thrown another 3.3 trillion naira lifeline into the sector to clear all debts owed to power generation companies and gas suppliers. Even with billions burnt, Bengal electricity supply still remains unstable across the country. So this is a mixed bag as the president celebrates his three years. There are also some very stark issues that face the reality of the everyday Nigerian.

[00:06:37]>> Well, uh, crossing the the three year the third anniversary land bank, it's quite a point for Nigerians to take account of stewardship of the current administration. How far has President Ba metu's renewed hope agenda uh impacted on Nigerians so far? I think um it's very difficult to analyze but uh we will look at the facts and try to compare notes. Uh I think that um he has taken the very necessary but difficult decision in um uh taking a very difficult choice of a long-term uh reforms and not really being able to balance it with the welfare of Nigerians. If I would analyze and let's look at the uh statistics of his reform uh agenda. We look at an economy that it took over from it a very depressing economic headwinds in 2003 the inflation uh rates uh the the inflation rate was 24%. So we have we are having a significant drop now on a yearto-year basis. Now in 2026 we have an inflation rate of 15.69 which is a significant drop. But when you look at the uh the the the the poverty rate in 2023 which he met the poverty rate was 56%. About 115 million Nigerians were living below poverty line. But now we have a significant rise in poverty rate with about 63% of Nigerians living below poverty line. That makes 140 million Nigerians living below poverty line. uh but again we look at uh our debt uh apparatus uh which has reduced significantly from 97% uh debt servicevicing which shows that 90% 97% of our revenue goes into debt service which has been significantly reduced to about 60 something% that's another pass mark for this current administration.

[00:08:31]You look at a very widening inequality gap between the policy papers and the public plates and you you feel the need uh that there is a need to bridge the gap between the macroeconomic stability in which the the federal government has recorded and also uh the microeconomic prevailing reality in which the common man is exposed to which I think that the current government had not been able to address uh in terms of making the economy stimulating the the investment appetite in the economy. We look at the the Nigerian stock exchange market in which it has we've we've had a significant rise from 53,000 points to about u to uh about 250,000 points and we look at the the all the market capitalization that has also raising significantly from 30 trillion naira to about 160 trillion naira. So that's a significant boost that would definitely be an augury of attraction for the foreign investors into the into the country. So you look at uh the food inflation which he met in 2023 the food inflation was 24 uh 20 27% and now food inflation is about 16%.

[00:09:47]But again um you one is now made to ask um are we having a statistical growth >> or an economic realistic growth uh but you also look at the the welfare of uh the tunos administration in terms of the areas of education the nail fund uh they've been able to widen the access to tertiary institution with about 1.5 million Nigerians now uh being able to get access to sponsorship uh for tertiary institution through the nail fund uh loan uh which has gulped about 282 uh billionaire but the major uh flight in the ointment was the basic reform in which uh President Tinumbu uh embarked on that when he said subsidy is gone and he met a a structure in which which gbs about 18.3 uh billionaire monthly on on f subsidy and that as that takes about 4 trillion naira yearly on subsidy. So he's been able to take that very audacious and uncompromising uh decision uh to to to look at how he can support state subnational governments who who are now having uh who are now more buoyant uh significantly compared to where uh they were in 2023. So I think that the the needed uh policy uh uh step for the current administration right now is to see how it can balance its long-term priority. Of course, we know it has also embarked on 2,700 kilometers of road uh since this year which is also shows which shows a major indicator that it has embarked on remarkable uh infrastructural drive. But again there is a need to balance up the welfare. It has not done it has not done too well in the uh in the in the security front lines. I must say that is that is another big topic in itself when it comes to the also one of the major structures that would drive the economic growth for Nigerians to be felt significantly is the issue of power in which you said about uh seven uh billion dollars you said has been spent 7 billion naira has been spent no it can't be naira 7 billion >> but so much has been spent in this power and we've not been able >> we've not been able to uh to to to to to to meander uh to have that significant uh power supply uh steady power supply in the country. Uh that's a big minor.

[00:12:26]So I think as he as he moves forward he needs to find an accelerator because Nigerians have sacrificed enough.

[00:12:34]>> Yeah enough is enough of the sacrifice otherwise we we look at the living wage and the cost of living crisis in the country. you would uh realize that uh there is a need for the federal government to quickly as a matter of urgency deploy those palative that would amilarate the sufferings of Nigerians.

[00:12:53]So it's very difficult to rate his administration again. But I think a lot of efforts have been uh drawn towards prioritizing long-term projects as regards the immediate needs and necessities of Nigerians and the cost of living crisis indeed.

[00:13:08]>> And I can confirm from the report in front of me that it is indeed 7 billion naira. Well, the the figures are disputable. But I do know that many Nigerians however are greeting this headline with a lot of side eyes because people are are really tired of you know these asurances that have been coming over and over again.

[00:13:28]>> The reason I just to point out the reason I said to back it up >> okay the reason I said it can't be 7 billion was because the genkos the federal government was owing the geno 6 trillion. It paid half of it just a month ago. So we leave the fact uh open I think for future conversation >> meeting later.

[00:13:47]>> Yes. I mean I'm sure the numbers can be disputed from different angles but according to the report that we've been given this is exactly what the numbers are saying. Well let's move on to another top headline and that is Aiku visiting Achi yesterday after the ADC presidential primary. I believe uh there's another headline that also reads a presidency waves off a tiku threat as XVP woos achi. Now the presidency and APC brushed off Aiku's victory saying he is no threat to President Boltinubu in 2027. APC has insisted that the opposition coalition is not built on ideas or solutions, but on politicians nursing old wounds and a hunger for power. Now, the return of Artiku's presidential ambition has reopened the old north south power rotation debate, a delicate political balancing act. Many believe it keeps Nigeria stable.

[00:14:46]Meanwhile, the SDP and the Labour Party have accused Aiku of ignoring the unwritten rule that power should stay in the south after Tinubu's tenure, warning it could heat up national tensions.

[00:14:59]Atiku's camp fired back hard, saying that the APC government is panicking because Nigerians are suffering from hunger, insecurity, job losses, and skyrocketing living costs. In a bid to cool tempers after the bitter primary, Atiku visited Amechi in Abuja with both men holding talks seen as an early peace move before the high stakes 2027 battle. Now yesterday, Mena, we heard Artiku say that the president should pack his bags and get ready to return to Lagos. On the other hand, it seems that the other political parties are agrieved by Aiku ignoring the gentleman's agreement over power staying in the south after Tinubu's tenure. What do you make out of all of this troubleshooting as we called it in the headline of Atiku going to visit Amechi and you know this uh these these statements about uh President Bulame Tinubu having to pack his bags. I remember yesterday when we had the interview, one of the questions that I asked our guests was that is it not early times for him to be saying, "Pack your bags and get ready to go back to Lagos." So now I'm I'm eager to hear what you have to say about this. Well, having gone through a very tense uh primary uh a very fever pitch uh keenly contested primary, I think it's uh it's expedient for political actors to camp feed nerves. Uh just how much will a del a Nigerian delicacy do? Uh what's the link between Nigerian delicacy and um Nigerian politics having missed the delicacy of a fisherman's soup at Amit's residence which he was which Alatetico was expecting. Anyway, that's just on a light note. But on a serious note, um I think uh he has also said that he was he visited Rotimia Mitchi uh the former River State Governor and transport minister to celebrate his birthday which was not yesterday. It was made uh roti's birthday was actually made the 27th. So there is more than there is a lot of underlying driving interest that must have driven him to uh rotation. I think having learned from the 2022 experience where he was not so magnanimous in victory after he had won the PDP presidential primaries in 2022 and um all over gestures and um political arrangement internal political arrangement was made to uh for him to pick uh Wiki as his running mate and also uh some political options of perhaps having him as his DG campaign organization or some other slots.

[00:17:40]by the time he wins the government uh which he clearly and strongly rebuffed.

[00:17:44]So I think he has he must have learned the the need to drive an inclusion plan coming from the internal political arrangement. Uh that's why you could we saw him uh yesterday making that uh very prompt and urgent strategic visit with Rotima. So >> strategic indeed. Yes.

[00:18:03]>> Yeah. So we look at the political options on the cards. uh perhaps uh he might be adopting Rotima Mitchi as his running mate. Uh you also talked about the the the delicate balance within rotation. Uh we where some bookmakers have said that uh it's still it's still highly debatable. Some are saying that it the southern uh region should be allowed to complete its eight years so that they could have a balanced rotation. So this is coming in has also tilted that delicate balance in a way.

[00:18:35]But again uh v former vice president ato is someone that has built a longlasting uh very enduring network of political and business associate and alliances and his influence is not in doubt and also his political electoral value has been consistent over the years. So is the possibility now in terms of political calculation uh driving uh this campaign with Rotimichi uh might be an interesting prospect that would that could challenge the uh the status quo at the national level come the 2027 election. So um I think uh the political landscape is beginning to uh shapen up significantly uh with all the major contenders emerging. We understand that today the NDC will be ratifying Peter Ob's flagship as the presidential flag of the party. So >> and just as you touch that actually we maybe we should just jump into that headline so that we can we can put the analysis together as you rightfully said the ND uh the NDC is ratifying Obi as their presidential candidate and that is happening today. I have some details from the report and they read that um the NDC is set to formally crown Peter Obi as its presidential candidate after he emerged as the party's only aspirant.

[00:19:57]Now while so many parties are battling internal wars and primary election drama, Peter Obi's path looks smooth.

[00:20:05]Now Ben Wenger let me just pause there for a moment. You know, he did mention some time back that he was interested in something that was dramaree and I guess this is the smoothness that he was asking for. What do you make of this?

[00:20:20]What lies ahead today? you know, with uh this ratifying, you know, coming in the process of what we're about to see unfold, putting together what we've been talking about about what's happening in the ADC with Rotimiachi and as well um Atiku, all those factors, put it together in a way that makes sense with your political knowhow.

[00:20:43]>> Well, like I said, uh the political landscape is beginning to take shape significantly uh with the uh ratification of uh Mr. Peter will be now who I think it's different strokes for different folks. True. Some people feel that he's not going through a keenly contested primaries. Um uh is um shows um his um potential to uh capitulate at uh the face of uh strong resistance and that questions his resilience and some people are of the opinion that he he was quite strategic in his decision to leave the ADC. uh u ab felt that the structure may may not favor his emergence as the party's uh flag bearer in which uh we could see article winning with a landslide. So one could say that um one could argue between those lines of uh his political u sophistication and his political survey and also that uh other side of uh capillating at uh the face of resistance always wanting an automatic ticket and also his uh political normadry uh crossing from ABGA to uh PDP to labor uh to ADC and to NDC had also raised a lot of spirious view about his political uh character. But again um this is someone that um got on the momentum from the NSA movement in 2001 which met metamors into a very organic online revolution for every uh vulnerable Nigerian uh that uh is exposed to an uncertain future. they have found in him that obedience movement to drive that narrative and that is why some people are die hard supporter of uh Mr. Peter Obi because he's seen as a metaphor for the end bad governance campaign the for a lot of people that believe that Nigerians deserve better from governance and leadership they have adopted uh Mr. Mr. Peter Obi as a leader of that movement and that is what the obedience movement stand for. So he's someone that um is a political heavyweight by all standard.

[00:23:01]He came third with over six million votes in the 2023 election. and you remember his winning the FCT really caused a lot of upset and also dismantling the political stronghold of the Tunimos administration in Lagos by coming first in Lagos was a significant uh major upset in that election and u a lot of people bookmakers believe that he has built violently on that u movement and this 2027 election might just be a very interesting um showdown if you ask me. So we have uh the front liners uh the the incumbent uh who uh his political mastery and strategy is not in doubt. he has been uh when you watch how he won the 2023 elections um and also he's been able to build uh that uh political base uh where uh from 2015 where he brought that that measure and drove that measure of the Africa the all progressive congress and also till now so and also being able to win uh 31 governors that's talking about political structure to his own base is a lot of significant uh advantage for him We we'll keep watching how it uh pans out as as time goes on.

[00:24:21]>> Well, let's now still stay with politics, but look at what's happening on the continent of Africa. And today's headline for our international story is from New Telegraph. Xenophobia. Once again, this headline is back again.

[00:24:35]Anger rises in South Africa as rioting pupils ask Nigerians and others to leave their schools. It also reads 105 Nigerians killed in 7 years says the Nigerian community in South Africa. This is in the front of a new telegraph. Now the Nigerian community in South Africa says at least 105 Nigerians have been killed in the country over the last seven years. This is since 2019.

[00:25:04]Community leaders accused South African authorities of trying to sweep the crisis under the rug after claims emerged that migrants were not were now being targeted uh were not being targeted or being killed. They denied that. Many Nigerians say they have faced a storm of xenophobic attacks from mob violence and street beatings to shootings, vigilante attacks and alleged police brutality. In 2019, xenophobic chaos erupted like wildfire across Johannesburg with Nigerian shops, cars, and businesses being burnt to ash during these deadly riots. The community claims that more than 40 Nigerians died in 2023 alone. And uh that made it one of the bloodiest years for foreign nationals.

[00:25:49]That's in recent times. From 2024 to now at early 2026, now mid 26, reports of shootings, deaths in police custody, and suspected extrajudicial killings have continued to cast a dark shadow over migrant communities. That's very sad, Bengal. And when I heard that it was uh children in schools, I automatically thought perhaps this is in the universities. But to my surprise, these attacks were being made on high school children and primary school children with slurs, derogatory, and racial being thrown at these innocent young children, probably traumatizing them. Meanwhile, a plane that was carrying nearly 300 Gans fleeing fears of xenophobic attacks touched down in Ara. Ghana has started bringing back their people to their country. Um the Ganaian government has stepped in chartering a special flight from Joelberg to bring in its citizens home safely. Fear has been spreading after protests erupted against illegal immigration in South Africa and about 800 Ghanaian have already signed up to leave. This is just a a sign showing how anxiety is pushing many to pack their bags and to head home. My question is this. Where are the flights from Nigeria going to pick Nigerian nationals from South Africa as well?

[00:27:25]>> This is a very disturbing reality. Uh xenophobic attack has been um profoundly since 2008. And uh I think um we were able to take diplomatically the federal government was able to take uh a very significant uh diplomatic uh step in 2012 under the watch of ambassador Bena Ashi. Uh I think that that's one of the most pivotal era in Nigeria's diplomacy uh because he was able to strate strategically deploy that uh principle of reciprocity and I could remember about 125 uh South Africans coming on board and he had to repatrate them immediately and he was able to bring South Africa back to to on it on its knees and there and there was a written apology tendered on behalf of the South African government. Uh but again times have changed. Yes. And uh it seems that um perhaps uh the lateness in President Obas Tinu's appointment of uh ambassadors might have caused this uh dwindling influence and also uh the abysmal performance of citizenship diplomacy cuz uh there's no way 105 deaths since about uh 2018 could be acceptable to any country uh under the uh under the record of uh anti-migrant sentiment uh in um in that in that country and you look at a country where we have about 500,000 uh Nigerians living in South Africa though undocumented but we have about 30,000 that have documented uh their residency in South Africa. So South Africa and Nigeria holds a very strategic partnership uh with over $2 billion uh volume of trade with Nigeria having a significant uh comparative advantage uh with about 1.69 69 billion with uh South Africa having about $460 billion uh dollar uh in investment uh partnership with Nigeria. So you look at that I think there's a need for a very delicate balance of diplomacy diplomatic approach to be used and the instrument of citizens diplomacy should be I think by now we should be having a robust uh discussion and collaboration but I think with ambassador the eye commissioner there now ambassador Fei Fikyote being there now there should be a significant change. I think uh producer Leili is never generous with time. So I think I have to step down on this conversation.

[00:29:58]>> Well, thanks for your contribution anyway, Wena. It's a very important conversation to be had. And those were our headlines.