President Bola Tinubu has said Northern Nigeria stands to be the biggest beneficiary of his administration’s economic reforms, citing infrastructure, trade and investment opportunities across the region.
Tinubu made the claim in a message delivered by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, at the second edition of the APC Professionals Forum’s Policy Roundtable in Abuja.
The roundtable, tagged the “Asiwaju Scorecard Series”, focused on the achievements and impact of the Tinubu administration’s reforms.
The President said his administration inherited several economic challenges when it assumed office in May 2023, including fuel subsidy distortions, multiple exchange-rate windows, weak revenue mobilisation, foreign exchange shortages and rising debt-service pressures.
Tinubu argued that reforms introduced by his administration were beginning to improve Nigeria’s economic outlook.
He cited an increase in the country’s gross external reserves to about $52.7 billion as of August 2026, growth in consolidated non-oil revenue and an improvement in the country’s trade position.
He also said Nigeria recorded real Gross Domestic Product growth of 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, while inflation had eased to about 15.4 per cent.
Why Tinubu says the North will benefit most
According to the President, the North’s geographical position gives the region a major advantage as Nigeria expands regional trade and develops new transport and energy infrastructure.
He said the North would be strategically positioned to trade more with neighbouring countries, including Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.
Tinubu described the North as the next major business destination in Nigeria, arguing that improved road, rail and energy connections would create opportunities for businesses and communities in the region.
Among the projects highlighted by the President are the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline, the Lagos-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano transport corridor, the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway and the proposed Calabar-Maiduguri Trans-Sahara Super Highway.
He also pointed to programmes such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), technical and vocational training schemes and the CREDICORP credit initiative as measures intended to translate economic reforms into opportunities for ordinary Nigerians.
Northern groups disagree
Tinubu’s assessment, however, has drawn mixed reactions from groups in the North.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) questioned the basis of the President’s claim, arguing that the socio-economic realities facing many Northern communities do not support the description of the region as the biggest beneficiary of the reforms.
The ACF cited challenges involving insecurity, agriculture, infrastructure, education and poverty.
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) also questioned the claim, arguing that policies such as fuel subsidy removal and the introduction of Compressed Natural Gas affect Nigerians across the country and should not be presented as benefiting one region alone.
However, some Northern Christian leaders offered a different assessment.
Reverend John Hayab, Chairman of the Northern Christian Association, said the region had benefited from projects and interventions under the Tinubu administration.
He cited infrastructure projects and developments in Southern Kaduna as examples of areas where he believes the region has recorded progress.
What the debate means for Nigerians
The disagreement highlights a wider question about how the impact of Tinubu’s economic reforms should be measured.
While the Federal Government points to economic indicators, infrastructure projects and investment opportunities, critics say the success of the reforms should also be judged by their impact on the daily lives of Nigerians, including food prices, transportation costs, employment, security and household income.
For many people in Northern Nigeria, the key issue will be whether the projects and economic opportunities highlighted by the government translate into improved living conditions and sustainable jobs.
As Nigeria moves towards the 2027 general elections, the debate over the impact of Tinubu’s reforms is expected to remain a major issue, particularly in the North, where the President is seeking continued political support.
Beyond the economic figures and government claims, the real test is whether ordinary Nigerians in the North are experiencing meaningful improvements in their everyday lives.
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