Nigeria moving from reforms to prosperity, Tinubu assures Nigerians

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume,  CON delivering his speech at the 2026 National Civil Society Organisations Summit in Abuja

.... As Tinubu acknowledges the difficulties Nigerians had faced following the reforms introduced by his administration in 2023, but said the country was now entering a new phase.

Says “Four years down the line, we wish to modestly assure Nigerians that Nigeria is moving from reform to prosperity."

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that Nigeria is moving from a period of difficult economic reforms to prosperity, saying the gains of the administration’s policies are becoming evident.

Tinubu, who spoke at the 2026 National Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Summit in Abuja on Friday, also pledged to protect civic space and strengthen collaboration with civil society groups in national development.

The president, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, said the summit, themed “Nigeria First and National Development,” was a reaffirmation of the social contract between government and citizens.

He acknowledged the difficulties Nigerians had faced following the reforms introduced by his administration in 2023, but said the country was now entering a new phase.

“Four years down the line, we wish to modestly assure Nigerians that Nigeria is moving from reform to prosperity,” he said.

Tinubu said the next phase of the Renewed Hope Agenda would focus on rebuilding public trust, strengthening institutional accountability and ensuring that economic growth translated into social inclusion.

He said government could not achieve the prosperity agenda alone, stressing the need for sustained collaboration with CSOs and other stakeholders.

The president cited Nigeria’s participation in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the Open Government Partnership as examples of productive collaboration between government and civil society.

He announced four measures to institutionalise the partnership, including the establishment of a quarterly Government-Civil Society Policy Dialogue Forum.

According to him, the forum, to be established by the SGF, would ensure that evidence-based advocacy and community perspectives were incorporated into policy design, implementation and evaluation.

He also said government would expand civic space for social accountability by working with accredited organisations to promote public finance transparency, budget tracking and monitoring of humanitarian interventions.

Tinubu further said government, in partnership with the United Nations system, development partners and the private sector, would reposition civil society organisations as key drivers of the localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He said the initiative would support capacity building and access to technical and financial resources in areas including poverty reduction, youth and women empowerment, health, education, climate resilience and peacebuilding.

The president added that government and civil society would work together to promote national cohesion and sustain peace.

On the 2027 general elections, Tinubu charged CSOs to remain at the forefront of democratic development by educating voters, monitoring elections and advocating electoral reforms.

He also urged them to work with law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and the media to ensure credible elections.

“Nigeria’s strength lies in its united people and their vigilance,” the president said, urging CSOs to counter misinformation, promote interfaith dialogue and champion inclusive governance.

Tinubu, however, called for greater introspection within the civic space, urging CSOs to develop a common code of conduct to strengthen ethics and public interest.

He said while his administration remained committed to an open-door policy anchored on transparency and accountability, the actions of some actors in the past had strained government-civil society relations.

The president also reaffirmed the four areas of alignment identified at the Southern Civil Society Summit in Lagos on July 9 — food security, poverty eradication through jobs and enterprise, improved governance, and human capital development — as priorities for the entire country.

He commended the Civil Society Coalition for Health and Economic Issues (CSCHEI) and other accredited CSO leaders for convening what he described as an inclusive summit.

Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression, association, assembly and press freedom, describing them as inalienable rights.

He, however, urged civil society actors to uphold integrity, professionalism and mutual accountability.

“Let your legitimacy be matched by credibility and your advocacy by credible patriotism. Continue to believe in Nigeria, the only country we have with its beautiful diversity and resources,” he said.