Yemi Olakitan
Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office, the public conversation has largely revolved around the harsh economic climate, controversial policy decisions, and a general sense of discontent among citizens. From petrol subsidy removal to the floating of the naira, criticisms have come thick and fast. And yet, buried beneath the rubble of angry headlines and social media negativity, there are achievements—real ones—that deserve to be acknowledged. Ignoring them doesn’t only warp public memory; it erodes a balanced understanding of governance.
It’s no secret that Tinubu’s presidency began with interruptions. His inaugural announcement to end the fuel subsidy sent reactions through the economy. Overnight, transport costs surged, inflation galloped, and Nigerians were left reeling. The anger was, and remains, understandable. But to judge his administration purely through the lens of short-term pain misses the broader picture—and perhaps, the long game he’s trying to play.
One of the core pillars of Tinubu’s reform agenda is economic deregulation. The fuel subsidy, which had long been a sinkhole for public funds, cost Nigeria trillions annually, benefitting a select few while draining national resources. Removing it was politically risky but economically necessary. The impact has been bruising, but the rationale was sound: to redirect public funds into sectors that can spur long-term growth, such as infrastructure, education, and healthcare.
A similar argument applies to the unification of the exchange rate. While the move introduced volatility and widened inequality in the short term, it tackled the long-standing issue of currency arbitrage, where a few privileged actors profited from opaque and multiple exchange windows. It’s an unpopular reform, but one that international economic observers and investors see as a sign of fiscal seriousness.
Even more quietly, Tinubu’s administration has taken steps toward improving federal infrastructure. The continued focus on road and rail development—projects inherited but accelerated—suggests a government aware of Nigeria’s logistical bottlenecks. These may not be as headline-grabbing as fuel prices, but they are the arteries through which economic rejuvenation will eventually flow.
Perhaps most underreported is his effort to revamp the tax system. Through the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, the administration is trying to widen the tax net without overburdening already-stretched Nigerians. Simplifying taxes, closing loopholes, and digitizing systems are technocratic fixes, not political fireworks—but they’re essential for national growth.
Of course, no one should pretend that Tinubu’s record is spotless. Nigerians are suffering, and no amount of macroeconomic explanation should dismiss the lived reality of hardship. The administration’s communication has been poor, often failing to explain not just what it is doing, but why. Trust deficits remain a major obstacle, and valid questions about corruption, insecurity, and transparency must persist.
But we must learn to hold two truths at once: that a government can be faltering in its empathy and delivery, yet still be planting seeds for reform that may bear fruit. The rush to condemn everything as a failure is as unhelpful as blind praise. What’s needed is a vigilant but fair-minded citizenry—one that can criticize without erasing progress.
President Tinubu’s tenure may yet be judged a success or a failure. But the debate must be honest, not convenient. There is a baby in the bathwater, and if we’re not careful, we’ll throw it out with our rage.
What often gets lost in the noise is that beyond the major headline reforms and symbolic mega-projects, President Tinubu’s administration has also posted tangible economic milestones—ones that reflect a level of fiscal discipline and economic rebalancing not seen in decades.
Nigeria’s trade surplus surged to the highest on record under President Bola Tinubu as exports grew at a faster pace than imports. According to reports, the country posted a trade surplus of N16.9 trillion in 2024, up from N6.09 trillion in the previous year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
For a country long plagued by a chronic trade deficit and overdependence on imports, this surplus signals a shift, however early, toward a more balanced and self-reliant economy. It’s a sign that despite inflation, the underlying structure of trade may be slowly stabilizing.
In 2024, Nigeria recorded a GDP growth rate of 3.4 percent, the second-highest in the last decade, according to the World Bank. While growth remains uneven and not yet deeply felt by the average citizen, the uptick suggests that some of the tough reforms—currency unification, subsidy removal, and investment in production—are beginning to nudge the economy back on track.
President Bola Tinubu also increased Federal Government revenue to N21.63 trillion, while reducing the budget deficit to 4.127%, from 6.2%, in 2023, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. That’s not just a technical win—it’s a foundational one.
A lower budget deficit means less borrowing, a reduced debt burden, though borrowing may not be completely abolished, since money is an instrument of growth. However, Nigeria’s fiscal policy was built on the fragile promise of borrowing to stay afloat, this cannot be all a nation depends on. Reversing that trajectory is no small feat.
Across the country, over 70 highways are under construction simultaneously, a scale of development that speaks to a serious commitment to physical transformation. These include long-stalled projects, new expressways, and rural access roads—each with the potential to cut travel time, open markets, and connect regions long neglected.
Yes, these projects must be tracked for quality, transparency, and timely delivery. But their scale alone is unprecedented in recent memory. In a country where infrastructure is often a campaign promise more than a national priority, Tinubu’s government has, at the very least, shifted that narrative into action.
Of course, numbers do not cancel out suffering. Growth does not automatically mean prosperity for all. And progress, however impressive on paper, must be matched by a commitment to social inclusion, good governance, and accountability.
Still, we must give credit where it is due. In an age of cynicism and quick condemnations, it’s easier to mock than to measure, easier to dismiss than to debate. But serious governance deserves serious engagement. The Tinubu administration is not beyond criticism—but neither should it be denied acknowledgment when it takes bold, measurable steps toward economic and infrastructural renewal.
The path Nigeria is on remains steep, but not without direction. There is a baby in the bathwater—clear signs of reform, results, and ambition. Our job as citizens isn’t just to protest the temperature of the water. It’s to ensure the baby grows strong.
Yet perhaps the most visible sign of President Tinubu’s ambition lies in his bold infrastructural push—most notably, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. It’s a project of monumental scale and symbolic importance, not just because of its potential to transform transportation and trade across southern Nigeria, but also because it speaks to a broader vision of national connectivity.
The highway, stretching over 700 kilometers along the southern coastline, aims to link Lagos to Calabar through key cities like Warri, Port Harcourt, and Uyo. Beyond improving travel time and opening up coastal communities, it promises a surge in job creation, private investment, and tourism. It’s the kind of project that, if completed as envisioned, could reframe the narrative around Tinubu’s presidency—from one focused solely on austerity to one that includes ambition and legacy-building.
Critics have pointed out the high cost, the displacement of businesses and homes along the right of way, and concerns over transparency in contracting. These are fair issues and should not be dismissed. But focusing solely on these concerns without acknowledging the project’s long-term economic and social potential misses the larger point. Infrastructure—particularly of this scale—is never painless. It always comes with trade-offs. The question is whether the government is mitigating those trade-offs transparently and equitably, and whether the future benefits will outweigh the current disruptions. That’s where sustained public scrutiny should focus—not on stopping development, but on shaping it responsibly.
Beyond the coastal highway, the administration is pushing forward with other transport corridors, bridge constructions, and airport upgrades. There’s renewed energy around completing legacy rail projects and improving electricity distribution infrastructure, particularly through partnerships with private sector actors. These projects, often technical and underreported, are crucial for unlocking productivity, lowering costs of doing business, and improving quality of life.
None of this is to suggest that infrastructure alone can rescue a presidency or an economy. But it is an important marker of seriousness—an attempt to lay down physical assets that can support the nation’s future. And if done right, it’s a domain where government action leaves a visible, measurable imprint on everyday life.
What President Tinubu needs now is not less scrutiny, but smarter scrutiny. Nigerians should challenge the opacity of contracts, demand inclusive urban planning, and press for environmental responsibility. But we should also recognize when leadership attempts something structurally meaningful. In a country where “nothing works” has become a tired national slogan, projects like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway dare to imagine that something can.
In all, President Tinubu’s administration is a contradiction of urgency and upheaval, reform and resentment. The criticism it faces is legitimate—but if we’re being honest, so are some of its efforts.
His achievements are numerous for this space; in the area of education, the poor, for the first time in the nation’s history, are able to access students’ loans. Technical education is now free in Nigeria while students of technical colleges can now receive N45,000 Naira stipends.
To throw away the baby in the bathwater is easy. To clean the water, hold on to the baby, and still demand better? That’s the harder task. But it’s the one that leads us forward.
