By Peace Udugba
Presidential aide says economic reforms, education, agriculture, infrastructure and security interventions have laid foundation for wider impact if Tinubu wins in 2027
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, says the achievements recorded by the administration over the past three years have laid the foundation for further development if the President secures a second term in 2027.
Bwala, however, acknowledged that the government had not fulfilled all its promises to Nigerians, arguing that its major reforms and interventions should be viewed as the beginning of a longer-term process that would require further implementation and consolidation.
He spoke on Thursday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, where he discussed the administration’s economic reforms, security, education, agriculture, infrastructure and prospects for the 2027 presidential election.
According to him, one of the administration’s major achievements was rescuing the economy from what he described as a critical situation and establishing conditions for recovery.
Bwala said although Nigerians were yet to fully feel the benefits of the reforms, economic experts had acknowledged improvements in Nigeria’s macroeconomic environment.
He said the administration had also positioned Nigeria as an investment destination, citing activities in agriculture, technology, aviation and other sectors. He further claimed that the country’s foreign exchange reserves had risen above $40 billion and that the stock market remained active.
On education, Bwala highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), saying more than one million Nigerians had benefited from the programme. He added that the scheme could be expanded if government revenue increased.
He also cited government interventions in agriculture, including access to seedlings, financing and other support programmes, as part of efforts to increase food production and address food insecurity.
According to him, the administration had introduced credit facilities for civil servants to enable them to acquire household items and repay over time at relatively low interest rates.
In the aviation sector, Bwala said the Federal Government had cleared outstanding obligations to foreign airlines and strengthened Nigeria’s international air connectivity. He cited restored access to Dubai, increased connectivity with the United Kingdom and plans for direct flights to Brazil.
On security, the presidential aide said Nigeria had strengthened cooperation with international partners, particularly the United States, to combat terrorism, banditry, insurgency and other forms of criminality.
Bwala admitted that the government’s reforms had caused significant hardship for many Nigerians, particularly those already living below the poverty line. He said the removal of fuel subsidy and naira reforms had forced citizens to adjust their lifestyles but maintained that the measures were intended to correct longstanding economic distortions.
He said addressing hunger remained a major priority for the administration, describing food insecurity as a national security concern.
Bwala also attributed changes in rice prices to increased agricultural production and government interventions, while noting that the President had opened an importation window when necessary to boost food availability.
He said the government had also removed import duties on selected essential items and introduced the Compressed Natural Gas initiative to reduce transportation costs following the removal of fuel subsidy.
On infrastructure, Bwala said Nigeria needed substantially higher annual investments to close its development gap. He argued that increased revenue would enable the government to expand programmes such as NELFUND and invest more heavily in infrastructure.
He also defended the administration’s spending on official facilities, including the presidential aircraft and vehicles for lawmakers, arguing that such expenditure should be considered within the context of the responsibilities of public office.
According to him, the government had nevertheless introduced measures to reduce the cost of governance, including limiting escort vehicles attached to public officials and redeploying some police personnel from VIP duties to security operations.
Bwala maintained that the government’s inability to deliver immediate nationwide benefits from its reforms was partly due to Nigeria’s large population and limited resources.
He said the administration was therefore focusing increasingly on entrepreneurship and private-sector growth, stressing that government could not employ every Nigerian but could create an environment where businesses would thrive and generate jobs.
While acknowledging that Nigerians continued to face economic difficulties, Bwala insisted that the administration’s first three years had established a foundation for further reforms.
He said the government was not claiming to have fulfilled all its promises but was asking Nigerians to consider the existing interventions as groundwork for what could be achieved through a second term.
Bwala’s comments come amid continued public debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms and whether improvements in macroeconomic indicators, government revenue and investment have translated into better living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.
The 2027 election is expected to further intensify scrutiny of the administration’s record as Nigerians assess its economic policies, security performance and delivery of social and infrastructure programmes.
