…outlines economic gains of Tinubu’s administration
….ambassadors to be deployed in 2026
From: and Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja
The Federal Government on Monday declared all armed groups operating in the country as terrorist groups.
The government said that, henceforth, any armed group that kidnaps children, attacks farmers, or terrorises communities is officially classified and will be dealt with as a terrorist organisation.
It insisted that the era of ambiguous nomenclature was over.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who made the declaration in Abuja at a press conference, also outlined economic gains of 2025.
He said, “In the area of security, 2025 saw the presidential declaration of a nationwide security emergency, which will, in the months ahead, translate into massive recruitment into the Armed Forces and Police Force, and the deployment of trained and equipped Forest Guards to secure our forests and other vulnerable locations.
”We have also established, in 2025, a new national counterterrorism doctrine—anchored on four critical pillars: unified command, intelligence, community stability, and counterinsurgency.
”Let me be clear about what this means: That henceforth, any armed group that kidnaps our children, attacks our farmers, or terrorizes our communities is officially classified and will be dealt with as a terrorist organization. The era of ambiguous nomenclature is over.
The Minister also expressed President Bola Tinubu’s government’s determination to contain insecurity in the country as reflected in the 2026 budget and declaration of a State of emergency on security.
The Minister, who was beaming with smiles, also confirmed the return of the remaining 130 pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Niger State.
He said they were released due to the efforts of our security agencies.
He said, “It is appropriate we start this end-of-year press conference by reemphasizing the good news that came yesterday from the Office of the National Security Adviser, that the abducted 130 pupils of the St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Niger State, were released yesterday (Sunday).
“With this development, it can be confirmed that all the abducted pupils, numbering 230, have been freed. Not a single pupil is left in captivity due to the efforts of our security agencies.”
He also noted that the Federal Government empathizes with the parents of the pupils for the anguish the abduction has caused them, and wishes them a pleasant family reunion, a good healing process, Compliments of the Season, and a Merry Christmas.”
He also noted that the government has taken strong actions to ensure that no abduction of pupils ever happens in the country again.
Idris said the mission of 2026 is to raise the edifice of a secure, competitive, and prosperous Nigeria upon it.
The minister also said the presidential declaration of a nationwide security emergency, “will in the months ahead translate into massive recruitment into the Armed Forces and Police Force, and the deployment of trained and equipped Forest Guards to secure our forests and other vulnerable locations.”
The minister also highlighted that the 2026 budget’s blueprint for security is huge, with the single biggest allocation of N5.41 trillion to Defence and Security.
He said it is a direct investment in protecting lives, property, and prosperity, through modern equipment for our armed forces, a new national intelligence architecture, and a secure digital border surveillance system.”
He added, “The temporary pains of reform are yielding to permanent gains. President Tinubu’s vision for Nigeria is big, his strategy unambiguous, and his resolve unshakeable. We are consolidating stability, protecting our homeland, empowering our youth, and building a nation where every citizen has the agency to thrive,” he stressed. This is the Nigeria we are building together. Nigeria, truly on the move.”
On the administration’s performance in 2025, the minister said all indices indicated an upward swing.
He noted, “Our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.98% in the third quarter of 2025, demonstrating resilient and sustained expansion in the non-oil sector.
“Significantly, headline inflation has now declined for eight consecutive months, to stand at 14.45% in November 2025. Food inflation is also on a steady downward trend.
“Our external reserves have strengthened to approximately $44.56 billion, providing a robust buffer that stabilises our currency and assures international investors.
“Nigeria recorded a trade surplus of N6.69 trillion in the third quarter of 2025, a 27.29 percent growth year-on-year.
“The most recent Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data – an important measure of business sentiment – indicates that Nigeria has now seen 12 consecutive months of expansion in economic activities.”
In the area of power, the Minister said the country recorded the highest ever daily energy of 128 370.75 mega hours nationwide.
He said, “On March 4, 2025, Nigeria recorded a maximum daily energy of 128,370.75 megawatt-hours (MWh) nationwide—the highest ever in our history.
“Also in the power sector, 2025 saw the kick-off of the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), as well as the issuance of the first Bond under the Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Programme, the single largest coordinated financial intervention in the history of our power sector.”
The nation also recorded an increase in investors‘ confidence with massively oversubscribed government-issued bonds.
“A massively oversubscribed Eurobond issuance, attracting orders amounting to 400% of the target of $2.3 billion USD, demonstrating strong investor confidence in our macroeconomic reforms.”
Also, in the year under review, he said, “Nigeria exited the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List, reflecting sustained and coordinated reforms in combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes, and marking the start of a new reputational and operational chapter for our financial sector.”
President Tinubu in 2025 also approved the recapitalization of the Bank of Agriculture with N1.5 trillion – the biggest single boost to agriculture financing in our recent history.
The government also invested over N1.5 trillion on infrastructure.
“We committed to deploying over 1.5 trillion Naira in investments in road infrastructure in 2025 alone, the largest such commitment in our nation’s history, based on our firm belief that an economy cannot grow faster than the infrastructure that supports it. At the heart of this effort are our Four Legacy Highway Projects, engineered to connect every region and unlock new economic corridors:
*The 750-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, linking our entire southern coastline.
*The 1,068-kilometer Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, bridging the North-West to the South-West.
*The 477-kilometer Trans-Saharan Highway, traversing from Calabar to the FCT.
*The 422-kilometer Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe Expressway, integrating the North-Central and North-East.”
He explained that the projects are not conventional roads, “They are being built with reinforced concrete pavement designed to last 50 to 100 years, drastically cutting future maintenance costs and promoting local content. Empowering the next generation.”
The minister also outlined government programmes aimed at empowering the youth, which include: “The Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has now supported over 788,000 Nigerian students with interest-free loans and stipends amounting to over 150 billion Naira.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria’s Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) programme officially kicked off during the year, with an anchor investment in a new multi-million-dollar venture fund that will support the creative and digital entrepreneurship aspirations of young Nigerians.
“In 2025, the Federal Government launched the Student Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG), offering equity-free financing of up to ₦50 million for undergraduate innovators in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM) disciplines, across accredited tertiary institutions. With this new intervention, we are nurturing the seeds of entrepreneurship in our campuses and turning our brightest minds into job creators, not just job seekers.
“The Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme made significant progress during the year, as it built Africa’s largest digital army. A new security architecture.”
The minister also disclosed that the recently cleared Ambassadorial nominees will resume at their posts in the coming year.
The Senate last week cleared 67 ambassadorial nominees appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The president had in 2023 recalled all the country’s ambassadors.
Following the clearance by the Senate, the ambassadorial nominees will undergo orientation before their posting.
Idris disclosed at his end of year press conference in Abuja that their resumption will boost the country’s engagements at the global level.
“In 2026, our newly appointed Ambassadors will take up their posts in their countries of assignment, strengthening our bilateral relations and advancing our visibility and strategic engagements in the global community,” he said.
On the global stage, the Minister said Nigeria has become a respected global player.
Besides, he said Nigeria has been able to resolve its issues with the United States amicably through diplomatic means.
He therefore said Nigeria-US relations are not damaged.
“On the international stage, in 2025, we navigated complex international diplomacy with maturity and principle. The recent diplomatic spat with the United States has been resolved through firm, respectful engagement, culminating in a strengthened partnership,” he said.
To underscore his claim, the Minister revealed that Nigeria and the U.S recently signed a five-year bilateral health agreement running into over N5 billion.
“Just last week, the Federal Government of Nigeria signed a five-year, $5.1B bilateral health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of the United States, in which the US will provide $2.1B in grant funding, while Nigeria commits $3 billion. This has been described as the largest co-investment by any country to date under the America First Global Health Strategy. It will strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system, save lives, and attract investment.
“Indeed, Nigeria is no longer on the sidelines; we are a confident and strategic partner on the global stage, defending our national interests and attracting beneficial partnerships. Just last month, we regained our Category C seat on the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council for the 2026–2027 biennium, a celebrated comeback following 14 years of absence.
“Also in 2025, various Nigerians assumed significant international positions across various sectors, including Chairperson of the Council of the World Customs Organisation, Executive Director of the World Health Organisation’s Health Emergencies Programme, Vice Chair of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council, and Vice President of the International Association for Ports and Harbours in Tokyo. Additionally, this year we secured hosting rights for the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) 2026, and the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2027, one of the largest trade gatherings on the African continent.”
In the media, information, and communications space, the minister said in 2025, Nigeria secured the hosting rights for both the 2026 World Public Relations Forum (WPRF) and the 2026 African Public Relations Association (APRA) Conference. We made history by becoming only the second African country ever to host the WPRF, and the first ever to host both the APRA Conference and the WPRF in the same year.
“We also received official affirmation from UNESCO of the hosting right granted to Nigeria for the world’s first Media & Information Literacy (MIL) Institute, and I am delighted to note that the Institute will officially take off in the first quarter of 2026.
On the allegation of alteration of the tax act, the minister said the general public should wait for the outcome of the investigation panel set up by the National Assembly.
Idris neither denied nor confirmed the allegation as he noted that he had yet to see it.
“To be honest with you, I have not seen the two versions. All I know is that the executive has presented something to the National Assembly. It was processed, it was passed, and it was returned to the executive. What I heard is that the National Assembly members have seen some discrepancy and they have set up their own committee to look at those discrepancies.
“I think it is important for us to wait for the National Assembly to look at this again to tell us that yes, indeed, there were discrepancies or not.
“This is at this point an affair of the National Assembly to which I have no jurisdiction, and I have no, you know, the authority to speak about.
“Let’s wait for this from the National Assembly, and then, if required to make further clarifications, we can. But at this point, we know that the tax document has been put forward to the National Assembly.
“They have worked on it, and they have returned it, and it has been passed, and it has been signed into law.
“As far as the government of Nigeria is concerned, there’s only one version of that tax document.”
