By Abdul’Aziz Abubakar Yari
It’s been very interesting keeping tabs on some of the conversations stoked by President Bola Tinubu’s scorecards in two years in office. The engagements have been quite entertaining to say the least. The supporters, the critics and the cynics – all have established their respective but differing positions with justification.
While one could see where a genuine critic is coming from since the basis for constructive criticism is to make one get better at what one is doing, no individual can do any good in the sight of cynics, even when in the estimation of any right-thinking person, the basis for his cynicism is flawed.
But an honest supporter, not sycophant, is the only one who will goad you on in the face of challenges, tells you what is wrong without making a public show of it and provides you the shoulder to lean on and as well guides you through the many difficult phases.
Nigeria, no doubt, is a blessed country. Her natural endowments – human and material – are almost limitless through sheer grace. Yet, she is the most difficult country to govern because of the many tendencies and palpable fault lines.
Interestingly, the last two years of President Tinubu has confirmed one thing – a long agreed problem of the country – leadership! It is the only distinguishing difference between him and many of his predecessors.
Whether you are a critic, cynic or supporter – one thing you cannot deny President Tinubu is his leadership of purpose, characterised by vision, determination and the willpower to make hard choices and to also excel where many feared to fail.
It will be foolhardy, therefore, for anyone, the supporters especially, to not admit that there’s an evident room for improvement or see that there are areas we can actually do better than we are currently doing. After all, President Tinubu didn’t create any of the problems he’s fighting hard to solve for our collective good.
Other than that, there’s no debating the fact that the last two years of his administration have birthed good for Nigeria and this is to no other factor than LEADERSHIP!
Shall I start by reminding everyone that the removal of fuel subsidy, has saved the government over $10 billion in 2023 alone? It not only reduced fiscal strain and helped to redirect funds to other sectors, it halted the inherent fraud in the initiative.
By unifying the foreign exchange market and naira’s floatation aimed at addressing distortions in the currency market, it has boosted foreign reserves to $38.1 billion by 2024 and achieved a trade surplus of N18.86 trillion for the country.
Under the Tinubu administration, Nigeria’s annual inflation rate fell to 23.71% in April 2025 from 24.23% in the preceding month. The most significant component of the inflation basket remained elevated but moderated to 21.26% from 21.79%
These figures signify stabilisation, albeit as a process, the immediate impact has been pivotal, too. The government’s cash transfer programme, which provides funds to the poorest households and benefits over 5.7 million households, is one outreach that even the enemies cannot down play.
The Tinubu administration, as it currently stands, has recorded over 900,000 beneficiaries in the Presidential Loan and Grant Scheme; there’s been over 600,000 beneficiaries of the Students’ Loan Scheme, NELFUND; N70,000 minimum wage, and the NYSC monthly stipend increase from N33,000 to N77,000.
The free CNG kits distributed to thousands of commercial drivers across Nigeria with CNG buses rolled out in partnership with state governments, have led to a major drop in transport costs.
The President Tinubu administration also cleared over $10 Billion FX debt, federal account allocation to states growing by 60%, enabling more local development projects, N50 billion released to end the perennial ASUU strikes, and over 1,000 PHCs revitalised nationwide with an additional 5,500 undergoing upgrades.
So far, the administration has disbursed N75 Billion in palliative funds to states and LGs for food distribution and cash transfers. Over 150,000 youths are being trained in software development, tech support and data analysis under the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) project.
Also, over 20,000 affordable housing units under construction in the Renewed Hope Cities programme launched across Nigeria, with N200 billion in Loans to farmers and agro-processors.
Speaking further to facts and figures, over two million Nigerians are now connected to new digital infrastructure and community broadband hubs and public WiFi projects, 3.84% GDP growth in Q4 2024 (highest in 3 years).
Over $50 Billion in new FDI Commitments, Net Foreign Exchange Reserves up from $3.99 Billion (2023) to $23.11 Billion (2024), over $8 Billion in new oil and gas investments unlocked, and over $800 million realised in processing investments in solid minerals in 2024 and inflation as of April was down to 23.17%. These are statistics.
In enforcing fiscal discipline, the administration has reduced the nation’s fiscal deficit from 5.4% of GDP in 2023 to 3.0% in 2024, and the debt service-to-revenue ratio dropped from nearly 100% in 2022 to under 40% by 2024.
The government also recorded over N6 trillion in revenue in Q1 2025, partly due to removing Ways & Means financing and fuel subsidies. These have not only shown fiscal discipline, they have become some tangible reliefs for the Nigerian people.
The administration is not oblivious of the scourge called corruption and has taken steps against it, including suspending former Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Betta Edu, in January 2024, over alleged fund diversion, signalling some commitment to accountability.
Interestingly, the administration has been working on expediting all pending investigations and prosecution of corrupt practices. In the same breath, relevant agencies have been collating reliable evidence on some of the subsisting corruption litigations.
In 2024, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured a record-breaking 4,111 convictions. This turned out its biggest year in terms of success. Their recoveries included over N364 billion and significant amounts in foreign currencies, including $214.5 Million, $54,318.64, and 31,265 Euros.
With the final forfeiture of an Abuja estate measuring 150,500 square meters and containing 725 units of duplexes and other apartments, the EFCC achieved its single most significant asset recovery in 2025.
While the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had faced criticisms for allegedly pandering to the ruling party affiliates, no one has produced any evidence confirming these.
Talk about security, the impression that the administration’s security architecture have been failing is not true. For the record, more than 13,500 terrorists, bandits, and insurgents have been neutralised and 7,000 arrested in the past year.
While there are still reports of abductions and violent attacks, the administration’s response to security concerns has paved the way for more food production and supply, since the farmers started to return to their farms.
The administration has also embarked on agricultural revolution, which included tractor procurement, fertiliser distribution, and increased mechanisation.
The government has continued to give requisite attention to its Regional Development drive and has succeeded in establishing Development Commissions across the six Geopolitical zones (South West, North West, North Central. North East, South East and the Niger Delta) to empower communities and accelerate developments.
Without a doubt, the economic reforms have been laying the foundation for long-term stability, with GDP growth at 4.6% in Q4 2024 and a Fitch B credit rating upgrade as evidence. Moody’s Investors’ Service latest upgrade of Nigeria’s rating from Caa1 to B3, with a stable outlook, also indicates that the Tinubu administration is on the right path.
Let it be clear that the government is not oblivious to some simmering discontents and hard times among the citizenry. The Tinubu administration has committed over N2.2 trillion to infrastructure, with 440 road projects ongoing and 260 palliative road projects completed.
Some of the iconic road projects include the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway aimed to connect Victoria Island to Calabar, to boost trade and tourism along the coast; the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, a 1,000-kilometer road to link the north and south, with a planned rail line in the median, to improve connectivity and trade, and the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway.
The fact that rail lines are designed to integrate into the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Highway to provide alternative means of transportation on those routes, speaks to vision and foresight.
By the end of 2024, tax-to-GDP ratio rose from 10 per cent to over 13.5 per cent. Tax reforms were aimed to eliminate multiple taxation, protect low-income earners and support workers by expanding their disposable income.
Essential goods and services such as food, education, and healthcare to attract 0% VAT. Rent, public transportation, and renewable energy will be fully exempted from VAT to reduce household costs further. Working to end wasteful waivers.
Through systemic implementation of reforms in the oil and gas sector (especially total commitment to the implementation the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), signed into law in 2021), the administration is steadily increasing Nigeria’s crude oil production, restoring investor confidence.
Production targets are being achieved, and positioned Nigeria as a more responsible and efficient oil-producing nation. Since 2023, oil production has increased to 1.7 million barrels per day, a significant departure from 2022 when it went as low as 1.2 barrels due to theft.
In what is considered as a strategic step towards addressing insecurity and environmental concerns in Nigeria’s forests, President Tinubu approved the establishment of a National Forest Guard in Nigeria.
The aim is to secure Nigeria’s 1,129 forests from terrorists, bandits, and other criminal elements, who use forests as hideouts, hence the new force is expected to flush out these criminal elements reclaim the forests. It is designed as a collaborative security endeavour between federal and state governments.
The administration’s demonstrable priorities are securing the nation, fixing the economy, and improving human capital development.
To be honest, the Tinubu leadership is already turning the corner for Nigeria by delivering bold reforms with evident results. It is, therefore, deserving to make a loud noise about President Tinubu’s scorecard as the nation celebrates Democracy Day today on June 12, two years after he assumed office.
The nation may not be close to her dream destination, she is definitely far from where she was coming, and this is for nothing but serious and focused leadership – the rare type being currently provided by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu!
•Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State, is the Senator for Zamfara West and Chairman, Senate Committee on Water Resources
