President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to reflect on the country’s economic condition in comparison with some other African nations, including Kenya, which he said are facing more severe economic challenges.
Speaking on Friday during the inauguration of projects executed by Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri in Yenagoa, Tinubu admitted that Nigerians are currently under pressure due to rising fuel prices but assured that government is working on relief measures for vulnerable citizens.
“Let’s just thank God together that you are better off listening to them in Kenya and other African countries. What they are going through,” he said.
The projects commissioned include a bridge connecting communities, dual carriageways, and the Yenogwa City Road.
His comments come amid recent increases in petrol prices, which reportedly rose to about N1,300 per litre following global oil market disruptions linked to tensions involving the US, Israel, and Iran, which affected crude supply routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Since assuming office nearly three years ago, Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidy on his first day triggered a sharp rise in fuel and transport costs, contributing to broader inflation and reduced purchasing power across households.
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Acknowledging the hardship, the President said: “The fuel prices are biting hard. But look around. We will continue to find ways to ameliorate the suffering of the vulnerable.”
He added: “This is a government that cares. We will look at the numbers with the finance, economic planning and budgeting, and we will see what we can do to ease the burden.”
Tinubu also attributed part of the economic strain to global instability, describing it as the effect of interconnected international crises beyond Nigeria’s control.
“Development advances further, faster when the federal government and the state government work in partnership and towards a shared purpose,” he said, while commending Governor Diri for what he called “very purposeful leadership.”
In a light-hearted moment, the President responded to the governor’s request to reclassify a state road as a federal road for possible reimbursement, joking:
“When we met in my office, you were asking for this exception and that waiver and everything. Now you want reimbursement. It’s now Federal Road. I will take it with me,” he quipped.
Tinubu also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling insecurity, pledging continued investment in training for the armed forces to address terrorism and banditry.