New Year: Full Text of Tinubu's 2026 Message to Nigerians
- In his New Year’s address to Nigerians, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressed confidence in a brighter 2026
- President Tinubu pledged to improve the economy, improve the quality of life of Nigerians, and proceed with all ongoing projects
- Tinubu emphasised the importance of security, urging key stakeholders to work together to ensure national stability
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering social issues in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - In his New Year broadcast to Nigerians, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday, January 1, declared that 2026 "marks the beginning of a more robust phase of economic growth."
Legit.ng reports that Tinubu, speaking on his renewed hope agenda, said, “the path of reform is never easy, but it is necessary.”
Source: Facebook
New Year 2026: Tinubu addresses Nigerians
The president’s full speech can be read below.
TEXT OF PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU’S NEW YEAR ADDRESS TO THE NATION
Fellow compatriots,
I welcome you all to 2026, with gratitude to God and confidence in our collective resolve that this new year will be a more prosperous one for our nation, our citizens, and all who call Nigeria home.
During 2025, we sustained the momentum on our major reforms. We had a fiscal reset and also recorded steady economic progress. Despite persistent global economic headwinds, we recorded tangible and measurable gains, particularly in the economy. These achievements reaffirm our belief that the difficult but necessary reforms we embarked upon are moving us in the right direction with more concrete results on the horizon for the ordinary Nigerian.
𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤
As we enter 2026, our focus is on consolidating these gains and continuing to build a resilient, sustainable, inclusive, and growth-oriented economy.
We closed 2025 on a strong note. Despite the policies to fight inflation, Nigeria recorded a robust GDP growth each quarter, with annualised growth expected to exceed 4 per cent for the year. We maintained trade surpluses and achieved greater exchange rate stability. Inflation declined steadily and reached below 15 per cent, in line with our target. In 2026, we are determined to reduce inflation further and ensure that the benefits of reform reach every Nigerian household. In 2025, the Nigerian Stock Exchange outperformed its peers, posting a robust 48.12 per cent gain and consolidating its bullish run that began in the second half of 2023.
Supported by sound monetary policy management, our foreign reserves stood at $45.4 billion as of December 29, 2025, providing a substantial buffer against external shocks for the Naira. We expect this position to strengthen further in the new year.
Foreign direct investment is also responding positively. In the third quarter of 2025, FDI rose to $720 million, up from $90 million in the preceding quarter, reflecting renewed investor confidence in Nigeria’s economic direction, which global credit rating agencies, including Moody's, Fitch, and Standard & Poor's, have consistently affirmed and applauded.
𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦
A few days ago, I presented the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly. In that address, I emphasised that our administration has implemented critical reforms that are laying a solid foundation for long-term stability and prosperity. With patience, fiscal discipline, and unity of purpose, Nigeria will emerge in 2026 stronger and better positioned for sustained growth.
As inflation and interest rates moderate, we expect increased fiscal space for productive investment in infrastructure and human capital development. We are also confronting the challenge of multiple taxation across all tiers of government. I commend states that have aligned with the national tax harmonisation agenda by adopting harmonised tax laws to reduce the excessive burden of taxes, levies, and fees on our people and on basic consumption.
The new year marks a critical phase in implementing our tax reforms, designed to build a fair, competitive, and robust fiscal foundation for Nigeria. By harmonising our tax system, we aim to raise revenue sustainably, address fiscal distortions and strengthen our capacity to finance infrastructure and social investments that will deliver shared prosperity.
𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲
My fellow Nigerians, the path of reform is never easy, but it is necessary. We remain mindful that economic progress must be accompanied by security and peace.
Our nation continues to confront security threats from criminal and terrorist elements determined to disrupt our way of life. In collaboration with international partners, including the United States, decisive actions were taken against terrorist targets in parts of the Northwest on December 24.
Our Armed Forces have since sustained operations against terror networks and criminal strongholds across the Northwest and Northeast.
In 2026, our security and intelligence agencies will deepen cooperation with regional and global partners to eliminate all threats to national security. We remain committed to protecting lives, property, and the territorial integrity of our country. I continue to believe that a decentralised policing system with appropriate safeguards, complemented by properly regulated forest guards, all anchored on accountability, is critical to effectively addressing terrorism, banditry, and related security challenges.
New Year message: Tinubu makes vows
𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
The new year marks the beginning of a more robust phase of economic growth, with tangible improvements in the lives of our people. We will accelerate the implementation of the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, aiming to bring at least 10 million Nigerians into productive economic activity by empowering at least 1,000 people in each of the 8,809 wards across the country.
Through agriculture, trade, food processing, and mining, we will stimulate local economies and expand grassroots opportunities. We will also continue to invest in modernising Nigeria’s infrastructure - roads, power, ports, railways, airports, pipelines, healthcare, education, and agriculture to strengthen food security and improve quality of life. All ongoing projects will continue without interruption.
Source: Facebook
𝐀 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲
To achieve our objectives in 2026, we must all play our part. Nation-building is a shared responsibility. We must stand together in unity and purpose, uphold patriotism, and serve our country with honour and integrity in our respective roles. Let us resolve to be better citizens, better neighbours, and better stewards of our nation.
Fellow Nigerians, I wish you all a peaceful, productive, and prosperous New Year. May God continue to bless and protect our beloved country, keep our troops safe and destroy the enemies bent on disrupting our national peace, security and stability.
Happy New Year to you all.
Read more on the New Year:
- New Year: List of first 10 countries to enter 2026 before the rest of the world
- New Year: Seer releases 2026 prophecy, "the moment when souls collide with their ordained timelines"
- 2026 prophecy: Prophet Abel Boma shares troubling message for the new year – "It's starting tonight"
Adeboye releases 2026 New Year prophecy
Legit.ng earlier reported that the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, released his New Year prophecies, describing 2026 as one of victories, breakthroughs and remarkable opportunities.
The prophecies, unveiled during the church’s Crossover Service at the new three-kilometre by three-kilometre auditorium in Simawa, Ogun State, were presented under three broad categories: individual believers, Nigeria, and the global community.
Source: Legit.ng
