President Bola Tinubu has declared that Nigeria must now focus on building ships and related infrastructure to facilitate the export of goods and create more employment opportunities for its citizens.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday while receiving founding members of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and The Buhari Organisation, led by former Nasarawa State governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Tinubu stressed that strengthening Nigeria’s export capacity is the next step in consolidating economic reforms.
“What we need now is building the ship and the vessels for the export of our goods and creating more jobs for our people,” the President said.
Tinubu noted that the call comes on the back of Nigeria surpassing its 2025 non-oil revenue target in August—months ahead of schedule—a milestone he attributed to the success of his administration’s reforms aimed at diversifying the economy away from crude oil dependence.
“The economy is now stabilised. Nobody is trading pieces of paper for foreign exchange anymore. The economy is now predictable. You do not need to know the Central Bank Governor, Yemi Cardoso, to obtain foreign exchange or import goods,” Tinubu added.
He reaffirmed that the Renewed Hope Agenda continues to prioritise infrastructure renewal, improved healthcare, food sovereignty, and national security. He also announced that agricultural mechanisation centres would be established across all regions to boost cultivation, expand harvests, and generate employment.
The President further pledged to honour the legacies of former President Muhammadu Buhari by establishing a “Buhari House” and integrating more former CPC members into government.
On behalf of the delegation, Al-Makura pledged continued loyalty and support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections, praising him for according Buhari a befitting state burial.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, also commended Tinubu’s inclusive approach to governance.
Nigeria has historically depended on crude oil for up to 70 per cent of government earnings and more than 90 per cent of foreign exchange inflows. Successive governments promised to diversify, but oil remained dominant until recent gains in the non-oil sector began to shift the balance.
The Federal Government approved a record ₦54.99 trillion budget for 2025, projecting ₦41 trillion in revenue and a ₦13 trillion deficit to be financed largely through borrowing.
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