Soludo urges Nigerians to remain united through economic reforms

Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has urged Nigerians to remain united and hopeful while confronting the country’s current challenges. He made the call at Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary celebration at Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, where he read a national address on behalf of President Bola Tinubu. Soludo said Nigerians should honour the sacrifices and resilience of the country’s founding fathers and recognise the contributions of farmers, traders, teachers, entrepreneurs and other citizens.

He said national unity should endure despite religious, tribal and ethnic differences. The governor described the economic reforms introduced by the current administration as difficult but necessary interventions to address what he called deep-seated fiscal distortions. According to him, measures taken over the past three and a half years had arrested economic decline, restored stability and helped produce growth exceeding four per cent in 2026.

He said the country had reached a turning point, with the policy focus moving from structural reform and emergency stabilisation towards shared prosperity. Soludo identified lowering living costs, reducing production and transport expenses, increasing agricultural output through mechanised farming and dry-season irrigation, and expanding roads, railways and ports as priorities. He said better infrastructure would connect farms and markets nationwide.

The governor also assured residents that his administration would continue to protect lives and property, saying the safety of citizens in urban and rural areas remained a priority. He appealed to Nigerians to stay committed to building Anambra and the country. The anniversary gathering included civil servants, security personnel, civil society representatives and government officials.