Tinubu’s Reforms Bringing Unity and Growth, Says Bagudu
By Patience Ikpeme
The Federal Government has told the French government that the economic changes started by President Bola Tinubu are working well and making the country more united.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, shared this update on Wednesday in Abuja during a meeting with a team from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), a French agency that helps with development.
The Minister explained that these new economic rules have brought the different parts of government together.
He said that the President and the National Assembly are now working hand-in-hand, and there is a better friendship between the federal, state, and local governments.
According to Bagudu, the way the National Economic Council is being run has helped all parts of Nigeria move in the same direction.
“The reforms have improved cooperation between the executive and legislative branches of government. The National Assembly has been very supportive of the President’s bold economic initiatives,” Bagudu told the French team. He also mentioned that, “Of equal importance is the friendly relationship among the federal, state, and local governments.”
The Minister pointed out that the hard work of the last two and a half years is starting to show. He noted that the economy is becoming more stable, and people who want to put money into Nigerian businesses are feeling more confident.
Even though things are tough across West Africa and the timing of these changes is difficult, Bagudu said Nigeria is sticking to its plan to fix the economy.
One big goal of the government is to grow Nigeria’s economy to reach a value of one trillion dollars in the next five years. To do this, the government is starting a new project called the Renewed Hope Ward Development Plan.
This plan aims to find out what every single ward in Nigeria—all 8,809 of them—is good at, whether it is farming, skills, or minerals. Instead of the government just making plans from Abuja, they want the ideas to come from the grassroots.
“The reforms have improved cooperation between the executive and legislative branches of government. The National Assembly has been very supportive of the President’s bold economic initiatives,” Bagudu said.
He Dre further explained that the government will focus on farming and local manufacturing to create jobs and make sure there is enough food for every household.
While the Minister admitted that the current changes have caused some pain and hardship for Nigerians, he said these steps are necessary and cannot be stopped if the country wants a better future. He said the government wants private businesses to lead the way in growing the economy.
The leader of the French team, Mr. Jacky Amprou, said they are looking closely at all the changes happening in Nigeria. He noted that since 2022, Nigeria has seen big changes in its economy. The French agency is now updating its records to decide how best to continue supporting and funding projects in Nigeria.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Deborah Odoh, also told the visitors that Nigeria is a great place for business. She said that any help coming from international partners must match what Nigeria actually needs in its own national development plan for the coming years. Both the Nigerian government and the French agency agreed to sign a new partnership deal soon to make sure they keep working together.
