Tough Reforms Paying Off: Tinubu Says Nigeria Is Seeing Light at the End of the Tunnel
President Bola Tinubu has defended his administration’s difficult economic reforms, emphasizing that the tough decisions were necessary to secure Nigeria’s long-term growth. Speaking at the State House in Abuja while receiving Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, special envoy of the Amir of Qatar, Tinubu stated, “We are making efforts to reform our tax system. Going by the experiences of the past and the need to depart from old ways, our reforms have been hard. I made tough decisions so that we could grow. We are gradually seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Tinubu highlighted that the tax reforms have helped make Nigeria more appealing to foreign investors, underscoring the country’s strong partnership potential. “You can’t find a better partner than Nigeria,” he told the Qatari envoy. “You have to do more in Nigeria to help fight poverty in the humanitarian area. You have done well in developing a knowledge-based economy in Qatar, but what about Nigeria?”
He also reaffirmed his commitment to implementing the agreements reached during his 2024 visit to Qatar, instructing key ministers to ensure timely action. “We are willing to go further in our bilateral relations,” Tinubu said, expressing appreciation to the Qatari delegation.
Tinubu praised Qatar’s role in global peace efforts, saying, “We are conscious of who our friends are and those helping us to ameliorate the problems.”
In response, Al-Khulaifi conveyed the Amir’s interest in expanding cooperation, revealing that a Qatari business delegation will soon visit Nigeria to explore opportunities in agriculture, food security, and petrochemicals. “The message I have from His Highness, Amir of Qatar, is that he wants Nigeria to be a strategic partner in Africa,” the envoy stated.
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