The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be two years old on May 29, 2025. The president has since inception of his government left no one in doubt of his determination to reposition governance in Nigeria. The administration has since bade goodbye to the business as usual stance of the previous administrations.
The Tinubu led administration took the bull by the horn by removing fuel subsidy on May 29, 2023, which was the very first day that it came to office. While the subsidy removal on the one hand may have brought initial economic difficulties; however, the policy, on the other hand has substantially increased the income accruable to the federal, states and local and governments areas. It is to the credit of this hard decision made by President Bola Tinubu that all the 36 states are no longer owing staff salaries, and they have also been executing capital projects without resorting to borrowing from financial institutions.
The administration of President Tinubu has in less than two years of being in office fully repaid the $3.4bn Covid-19 IMF loan borrowed by the immediate past administration. The two year old administration has also successfully repaid the first tranche of the Sovereign Sukuk loan of N100 billion that was issued in 2017. The repayments of these two loans by the Tinubu led government have, to a large extent, demonstrated the commitment to transparent and responsible debt management. Also, the repayments have equally passed the right signals to both domestic and international investors that Nigeria is indeed able to manage its finances in a most efficient way.
The president, also at the outset of his administration, courageously unified the country’s foreign exchange windows. He likewise went ahead to embark on critical economic and institutional reforms that have thus far strengthened the nation’s economy. The president has equally given deserved attention to the nation’s security. He has since assumed that the office turned the heat on all the elements that pose a threat to the nation’s security architecture.
Remarkably, the government of President Bola Tinubu has successfully secured victory for Nigeria over a portfolio company, Process & Industry Developments (P&ID) Ltd, which attempted to scam Nigeria of a whooping $11.5 billion. Interestingly, not only has the government of President Tinubu won the case in favor of Nigeria, the administration is also fighting for the repayment of every dime that the Nigeria government had expended on legal fees from P&ID.
It is also worthy of note that the government of President Tinubu has embarked on several transformative and legacy projects that have redefined the narrative of governance in Nigeria. It is most commendable that the Ministry of Interior did what appeared like the impossible by clearing a backlog of 204,332 passport across the country within three weeks. The Interior Minister, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo led the push for the implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda by ensuring the collaboration of the Interior Ministry with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and other stakeholders to give Nigerians a sigh of relief on the issuance of their international passports.
More so, the administration of President Bola Tinubu, within its first two years, birthed the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). The Student’s Loan Act as passed into law and assented to by President Tinubu has now made it possible for Nigerian students to access zero interest loans to enable them pay for institutional charges and upkeep to any higher institution of their choice within Nigeria. This is definitely a novel initiative as far as governance is concerned in Nigeria. In a similar vein, the Tinubu led government has also established the Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET) in Ogoni town of Tai, Rivers State; Federal University of Agriculture and Development Studies, Iragbiji, Osun State and the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti State.
Another landmark achievement of the Tinubu’s government within its first two years is the revamping, remodelling, and resuscitation of the nation’s three refineries, namely Port Harcourt refinery., Warri refinery, and the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) refinery. Despite the failed efforts of previous administrations to resuscitate the moribund refineries, the Tinubu led government was, however, determined to change the narrative by ensuring that the three refineries begin operations. This feat is also in addition to the commencement of operations by private refineries, which the Dangote refineries clearly top on the list.
Other milestone achievements of the government of President Tinubu within its first two years are the ongoing construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway The administration has also made tremendous achievements by upgrading the infrastructural facilities in the aviation sector of the country.
In his quest to ensure widespread development in all parts of Nigeria, President Tinubu has also assented into the bills for the establishment of regional development commissions. The two year administration of the ‘Lagos Boy’s has since established North-west Development Commission (NWDC), the South-east Development Commission (SEDC), South-west Development Commission (SWDC), and the South-south Development Commission (SSDC). Interestingly, boards of all these commissions had already been constituted and confirmed by the Senate. The established regional commissions have been tasked with enhancing infrastructural, economic growth, and social welfare within their respective regions. The commissions are likewise expected to create more jobs for Nigerians and facilitate grassroots development.
Notably, the president has also secured autonomy for all the 774 local government areas across the federation. He has also pushed for tax reforms, and the bills have recently been passed into law by both the senate and the House of Representatives. Certain sectors of the nation’s economy that were hitherto not given deserved attention have now turned to money spinners for the nation. The Blue economy and the digital economy are already being leveraged upon by the administration of President Tinubu, not only to generate income but also to reposition the nation’s economy.
Likewise, the president has also given deserved attention to the healthcare system. He has ensured that funds have been sufficiently committed to the transformation of the healthcare sector. He has also not lost sight of the housing sector. The president has given priority attention to ensuring the availability of affordable and decent housing for Nigerians. This stride is being accomplished through the groundbreaking of 6,612 housing units in 13 locations under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates. Out of these numbers, 3,112 units of housing are being developed in Karsana, Abuja, through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). Likewise, the Tinubu administration has significantly expanded its Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrade Program, with projects currently underway at 26 sites nationwide.
The big icing on the performance cake of President Bola Tinubu is the fact that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has since become a huge construction site. Security at the Federal Capital Territory has also improved substantially since the Tinubu led government came into office. The administration has also successfully launched the innovative e-Gate system, e- visa system, and the Online Citizenship Business Management Platform. The administration has in the last two years trained and rehabilitated over 5037 inmates of the correctional centers, while Kabba, Ijebu-Igbo, Ondo, Jo’s, Kuje, Kano, amongst others correctional centers have also been renovated. The Tinubu administration has also installed surveillance technology to monitor correctional centers across the country.
Without a doubt, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has, in the last two years, given hope to Nigerians through the Renewed Hope Agenda. He has also convinced all the doubting Thomas of his determination to write his name in the sand of time as the best and most audacious president to have presided over the affairs of Nigeria. The president has definitely delivered on his election promises to Nigerians, and a lot more novel and transformative development are sure to be delivered by the president in the second phase of his administration.
