President Bola Tinubu has defended his administration’s economic reforms, saying that despite the short-term hardship experienced by Nigerians, the policies are laying a solid foundation for sustainable growth and long-term economic stability.
Tinubu made the remarks on Wednesday while receiving a delegation from Deloitte Africa, led by its Chief Executive Officer for Africa, Ruwayda Redfearn, at the State House in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President acknowledged that the reforms had been difficult but insisted they were beginning to yield positive results.
He said ongoing fiscal and revenue reforms were stimulating economic growth, strengthening financial institutions and positioning Nigeria to become more competitive in the global economy.
Describing the reform process as “taking bitter medicine,” Tinubu maintained that the policies were working and had placed the country on a path of steady economic progress.
The President also reflected on his background in accountancy, recalling his early professional years and association with the Deloitte tradition.
Speaking during the meeting, Redfearn reaffirmed Deloitte Africa’s commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s reform agenda, saying the firm was ready to deploy its local and global expertise to assist the administration.
Also speaking, Deloitte West Africa Chief Executive Officer, Yomi Olugbenro, said the reforms had laid a solid foundation but stressed the need to translate them into tangible benefits for ordinary Nigerians through improved service delivery and broader economic opportunities.
He added that Deloitte would leverage its global experience in supporting national economic transformation to help Nigeria achieve its development objectives.
Meanwhile, Taiwo Oyedele, who spoke on the administration’s reform record and its macroeconomic impact, urged Deloitte’s leadership to prioritise youth capacity development, describing investment in young Nigerians as critical to the country’s long-term economic growth.
