At the 2025 Nigeria Public Relations Week in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, held on May 19, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, delivered a detailed account of Nigeria’s current economic path under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Idris attributed the country’s emerging progress to what he called “the most consequential economic reform” in recent history, which is already transforming key sectors.
He hailed the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda as “steadfastly paving the way for Nigeria’s economic renaissance” and urged public relations professionals to use their platforms to inspire Nigerians at home and abroad to support the ongoing reforms.
According to the Minister, the administration’s economic overhaul began on the very first day with the removal of the fuel subsidy and the unification of exchange rates.
He described these as the bedrock of Nigeria’s economic transition. While acknowledging the initial hardships that followed the reforms, Idris said they are now yielding visible gains, including greater exchange rate stability, higher state revenues, the reactivation of local refineries, and a stronger fiscal foundation.
As the administration approaches its second year in office, Idris listed several key outcomes. Over ₦2.5 trillion has been invested in road infrastructure in 2025 alone.
The government has also established ministries dedicated to regional development and livestock, and launched the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which has already supported more than 300,000 students with tuition and living expenses.
Other major projects highlighted by the Minister include a $450 million commitment to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) infrastructure through the Presidential CNG Initiative; the rollout of CreditCorp, which provides citizens with access to loans for housing, healthcare, and essential needs; and ₦200 billion targeted at nano businesses, SMEs, and large-scale manufacturers.
Idris paid special attention to the government’s infrastructure drive, citing the Lagos-Calabar and Badagry-Sokoto superhighways as part of the broader national plan to link cities and boost economic activity.
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He stressed that no region has been left behind, referencing the revival of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, the ₦80 billion earmarked for Borno’s Alau Dam, and the Kano-Kaduna Standard Gauge Rail.
“Today, Nigeria is a vast construction site,” Idris said. “With over ₦2.5 trillion worth of road infrastructure projects approved this year alone, the highest ever in Nigeria’s history.”
Citing new data from the National Bureau of Statistics, Idris said the April 2025 Consumer Price Index shows headline inflation at 23.71%, down from 24.23% in March. He credited this progress to what he called the president’s steady and deliberate reforms.
Encouraging public relations professionals to play an active role in telling Nigeria’s evolving success story, Idris declared, “Nigeria is on the rise!”
He backed this assertion with economic indicators: over $50 billion in new foreign direct investment commitments, $21.9 billion in diaspora remittances, and ₦730 billion added to the GDP from Nollywood.
“These are not just statistics. They are stories waiting to be told effectively, professionally, and patriotically,” he said.
Idris closed by congratulating the President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, on his recognition as Regional Delegate-at-Large of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.
He praised the NIPR under Neliaku’s leadership for gaining both domestic and international acclaim and reaffirmed the ministry’s support for a unified national messaging strategy through the new National Strategic Communication Framework (NSCF).