The national chairman of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has defended the sweeping economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that the hardship currently faced by millions of Nigerians is the price of rebuilding a weakened economy.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his special adviser on media and information strategy, Abimbola Tooki, Yilwatda said the administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” was conceived not as a short-term populist programme but as a long-term strategy aimed at reversing decades of structural decline, low productivity and weak investor confidence.
Speaking after the APC concluded its House of Representatives primary elections nationwide, Yilwatda argued that the government’s policies were beginning to yield measurable results, despite mounting public frustration over inflation and the rising cost of living.
“Great nations are not built on easy choices or temporary comforts, but on courageous decisions that secure the future of generations yet unborn,” he said. “The reforms being implemented today are laying the foundation for a more stable, productive and prosperous Nigeria.”
The APC chairman acknowledged that many Nigerians continued to struggle under intense economic pressure, but said the federal government had responded through targeted interventions, infrastructure spending, support for local industries and investment in key sectors of the economy.
Yilwatda pointed to what he described as improving economic indicators, including increased maritime activity and renewed investor interest in manufacturing and energy infrastructure.
Citing recent figures from the maritime sector, he said Nigerian ports handled 1,092 ocean-going vessels in the first quarter of 2026, which he described as evidence of expanding trade activity and growing international confidence in the Nigerian economy.
“The handling of over 1,092 ocean-going vessels within the first quarter of the year is not an isolated statistic,” he said. “It reflects increasing commercial confidence, stronger maritime operations, rising export activities and renewed international economic engagement with Nigeria.”
He attributed the increase to federal investments in port modernisation, logistics upgrades and transport connectivity designed to improve export capacity and stimulate economic activity.
Yilwatda also highlighted improvements in Nigeria’s oil sector, saying crude production had risen to nearly 99.2% of the country’s quota under the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries arrangement, which he linked to improved security coordination and operational efficiency.
In the power sector, he cited the commissioning of new 330kV transmission lines in Edo state and the addition of 600 megawatts to the national grid as evidence of efforts to strengthen electricity supply and support industrial growth.
He added that growing interest from investors and domestic manufacturers in sectors including automobile spare parts, industrial production and energy infrastructure suggested the economy was gradually repositioning itself for long-term competitiveness and self-reliance.
Yilwatda urged Nigerians not to lose faith in the country’s future, maintaining that the reforms, though difficult, were necessary to create a more resilient economy capable of generating jobs and raising living standards.
“Nigeria is passing through a period of economic rebuilding,” he said. “While the journey may be challenging, the signs of recovery and national renewal are becoming increasingly visible.”
The APC chairman reaffirmed the governing party’s support for policies aimed at deepening economic reforms, expanding infrastructure and attracting investment, insisting the administration remained committed to “building a stronger and more prosperous nation for both present and future generations”.
