The Presidency has responded to the concerns raised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) over economic hardship, insecurity, and governance issues, insisting that Nigeria has made “tremendous progress” under President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement on Monday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed the bishops’ assessment, saying it was outdated and failed to acknowledge improvements in security, the economy, and governance.
“The Catholic Bishops’ Conference, at its first plenary meeting of 2025 in Abuja at the weekend, gave an alarming prognosis of the state of the economy and the polity that sounded more like snippets from an outdated book,” Onanuga said.
While acknowledging that governance challenges remain, Onanuga maintained that security has improved significantly, with the military eliminating thousands of criminals.
“In the last two years, over 8,000 criminals—bandits, armed robbers, Boko Haram terrorists, and kidnappers—have been eliminated, and over 10,000 Nigerians—primarily women and children—have been rescued from their abductors. As a result of improved security in our communities, especially in the North-West and North-East, farmers have returned to their farms, and our country has seen increased food production, which is currently driving down prices of essential commodities,” he stated.
On the economy, he argued that Tinubu’s administration had stabilized key sectors and strengthened foreign reserves.
He said, “Our balance of trade has improved, foreign reserves are in a stronger position, inflation has moderated, our currency is gaining strength against convertible currencies, and local refining capacity has tremendously increased on the back of Dangote Refinery and NNPCL refineries in Port Harcourt and Warri going on stream.
Onanuga also pointed to youth-focused initiatives designed to boost employment and entrepreneurship.
“Realizing the importance of youth to national development and economic growth, President Tinubu’s administration has designed programmes that will catalyse youth employment, enhance their capability, and harness their ingenuity, creativity, and talents for better productivity. These programmes—including 3MTT, NATEP, LEEP, IDiCE, NiYA, and the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund—were designed to create over 10 million new jobs for young people,” he said.
Onanuga further highlighted international recognition of the administration’s policies, referencing a recent report by Chatham House.
“Last week, Chatham House, a United Kingdom International Affairs policy think tank, praised President Tinubu’s economic management team. In an article, Chatham House said Nigeria’s economy had been most competitive under President Tinubu in 25 years due to his reforms,” he stated.
He assured Nigerians that the government is committed to tackling the country’s challenges, urging patience as ongoing reforms take effect.
“While we agree that many Nigerians still face difficulties, we remain convinced that the government is making the right decisions that will lead to a better and more prosperous country. President Tinubu and his team will continue to work very hard on behalf of our compatriots to deliver the promise of a greater and stronger Nigeria,” Onanuga concluded.
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