Top story: We’re Determined To Defeat Terrorism — Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu says the government remains firmly committed to moving the country forward under the Renewed Hope Agenda, despite prevailing political and security pressures.
President Bola Tinubu has pledged his administration’s resolve to deepen global engagement and intensify the fight against terrorism and criminality.
The President spoke shortly after an economic briefing by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, who reported during the Federal Executive Council meeting on Thursday that the administration’s reform agenda continues to stimulate investor confidence and deliver notable economic gains.
According to the President, the government remains firmly committed to moving the country forward under the Renewed Hope Agenda, despite prevailing political and security pressures.
He also acknowledged the scale of the security and economic challenges confronting the nation.
“The task ahead is immense. But we are resolved to move forward with unity and purpose, to defeat terrorism and build a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient Nigeria,” he said.
Trump’s Threat
Tinubu’s comments came in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s threat last week to send US forces into Nigeria with “guns-a-blazing” if Africa’s most populous country does not stem what he described as the killing of Christians by Islamists.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet,” he said on Truth Social.
Similarly, the United States military was reported to be preparing contingency plans for potential airstrikes in Nigeria, following a directive from Trump instructing the Pentagon to “prepare to intervene” to protect Christians from terrorist attacks.
The report, released Wednesday, indicates that U.S. Africa Command submitted a series of operational options to the Department of Defense in response to a request from Secretary Pete Hegseth to develop plans consistent with Trump’s orders, according to The New York Times.
Officials familiar with the planning told The New York Times that the proposals, described as “heavy,” “medium,” and “light,” detail different levels of military engagement within Nigeria.
‘Global Faith In Nigeria’
Meanwhile, President Tinubu said the Eurobond’s oversubscription, despite political anxieties, underlined global faith in Nigeria’s fundamentals.
“Despite the political headwinds and fears, our partners have continued to engage with confidence,” he said.
Edun had expressed gratitude to the President and cabinet members for their support during his recent illness, explaining that the ongoing reforms, though challenging, were driven by a clear objective to build a competitive economy that creates jobs and lifts millions out of poverty.
According to the minister, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.23 per cent in Q2 2025, the strongest expansion in a decade outside the post-COVID-19 rebound.
He said 13 sectors expanded by more than seven per cent, up from nine in the previous quarter, evidence of broad-based resilience.
He noted that the industrial sector nearly doubled its growth from 3.72 per cent to 7.45 per cent, reflecting rising productivity and renewed investor interest.
Minister Highlights Achievements
Speaking further, Edun said inflation declined to 18 per cent last December, while foreign reserves exceeded $43 billion, and the trade surplus climbed to N7.4 trillion, signalling strengthened external buffers.
According to him, the new consumer-spending data showed Nigerians now spend about half of their income on basic needs, compared with nearly 90 per cent previously, indicating a gradual transition from subsistence to improved living standards and enhanced productivity.
He further described Nigeria’s recent removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as a major confidence boost for the financial sector, noting that global institutions, including the IMF and World Bank, had acknowledged the country’s reform momentum through upgraded growth projections and improved credit ratings.
The minister also cited Tuesday’s €2.35 billion Eurobond issuance, which attracted over $13 billion in investor orders, as a testament to strong global confidence in Nigeria’s economic trajectory and the President’s leadership.
He stressed the need to mobilise greater domestic and foreign investment to achieve the administration’s target of a $1 trillion economy by 2030, noting that growth must reach seven per cent annually by 2027.
He expressed optimism that the next phase of reforms would focus on removing investment bottlenecks, reviewing tariffs and import restrictions, strengthening fiscal reporting, and optimising asset management.
The coordinating minister urged ministers overseeing sectors such as infrastructure, mining, health, education, agriculture and the blue economy to work with state governments to identify and package investment-ready projects capable of attracting large-scale private capital.
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, announced the passing of a former minister and senator, Solomon Ewuga, describing him as an accomplished leader dedicated to national development.
Ewuga served as Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State in 1999 before becoming Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, and later represented Nasarawa North in the Senate.
He died on September 23 in Egypt at age 70.
Akume also informed the Council of the death of former Chief of Staff, General Mohammed Abdullahi, who served under President Olusegun Obasanjo and was a former military governor of Benue-Plateau State, as well as pioneer Director-General of the Nigerian Security Organisation (NSO).
Council members observed a minute’s silence in honour of the deceased.
