President Bola Tinubu has declared that Nigeria has successfully pulled back from the brink of economic collapse.
The president made the remark on Saturday at the State House in Abuja while receiving leaders of the Nigerian media industry. The delegation included representatives of the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), the Nigerian Guild of Editors, and the Nigerian Union of Journalists.
During the meeting, the president commended media proprietors, editors and journalists for their role in informing and educating the public, keeping citizens updated on national issues, and providing employment opportunities for thousands of Nigerians.
Tinubu stressed that effective leadership requires taking decisive actions at the appropriate time, warning that failure to do so amounts to poor governance.
He admitted that his administration had to make difficult but necessary decisions to prevent the country from sliding into bankruptcy.
“Leadership must, as a matter of responsibility, make decisions at the best time. Yes, I accepted my predecessor’s assets and liabilities because I applied for the job and was given the job. So I have to do it. But if anybody tells you it’s easy, it’s a lie. I thank you for your criticism at the beginning of the administration. You challenged me. Thank you for inspiring and challenging me at a critical moment in my life.
“But having asked for the job and got it, I can’t look back other than to make corrections as I move along. We had to save the nation and bring it back from the brink. Can you imagine a nation that owes airlines for ticket reimbursements and faces galloping exchange rates and inflation?
“Today, I can stand proudly before you and say that we are back from the brink”, he further stated.
Responding to concerns raised about tariffs affecting the media sector, the president acknowledged that the matter had been discussed during the meeting.
“We discussed issues of tariffs this afternoon. What I cannot report back here is whether I took action in the areas that affect you. But if I missed that, I will go back to rectifying whatever was necessary.”
Tinubu also praised the media for offering constructive criticism, noting that he regularly reads Nigerian newspapers and welcomes feedback in good faith because, according to him, everyone desires the nation’s progress.
He urged journalists and media organisations to continue demanding accountability and improved service delivery from other levels of government, especially as federal reforms have increased the financial resources available to states and other federating units.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the Nigerian media have strong expectations for the administration, expressing confidence in the president’s resilience and leadership in guiding the country toward sustainable progress.
He also encouraged journalists to uphold their constitutional responsibility by reporting responsibly while ensuring that governments at all levels remain accountable to citizens.
Speaking earlier, the Grand Patron of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, praised the president for what he described as bold economic reforms introduced by the administration.
Osoba highlighted initiatives such as the establishment of the Nigeria Revenue Service and the National Single Window policy, saying both measures have the potential to significantly boost government revenue.
He also commended the president for urging state governors to ensure that funds received through monthly federal allocations are used to improve the welfare of citizens at the grassroots.
Mr Frank Aigbogun, publisher of BusinessDay newspapers, spoke on behalf of the Nigeria Press Organisation, where he serves as president.
He praised Tinubu for maintaining a cordial relationship with the media over the years and appealed for presidential intervention regarding import tariffs on newsprint and broadcasting equipment.
Aigbogun further urged the federal government to help safeguard jobs in the journalism profession and the broader media industry from big technology companies that use editorial content produced by Nigerian media organisations without compensation.
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