President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerians to be patient and embrace hard work as his administration continues efforts to rebuild the nation’s economy.
Speaking during a visit by the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of the National Assembly, led by former Senate President Ken Nnamani, Tinubu stressed that there is “no free beer parlour anymore,” urging citizens to focus on agriculture and other productive sectors to improve the country’s economic situation.
“People say we’re hungry; yes, I understand that. We don’t want to keep the people hungry and angry, but we say be patient— we must work hard. There is no free beer parlour anymore. We’ll retool and rebuild Nigeria’s economy,” the President said during the meeting in Abuja.
Tinubu’s comments come as Nigerians face significant economic challenges driven by the removal of the fuel subsidy and the floating of the Naira.
The president’s first-day policy of scrapping the petrol subsidy resulted in a sharp increase in fuel prices, with filling stations in Abuja selling petrol between N950 and N1,100 per liter as of Friday.
The decision to unify exchange rate windows has also led to the Naira hitting an all-time low, trading at over N1,500 to the US dollar in the official market, compared to N600 per dollar when Tinubu took office on May 29, 2023.
Amid widespread discontent over rising costs of living, Tinubu urged Nigerians to exercise patience, promising that his administration is in the process of retooling and rebuilding the economy for long-term growth.