Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu call for unity as Nigeria marks 66th Independence anniversary
President Bola Tinubu and Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu urged Nigerians to remain united as the country marked its 66th Independence anniversary. Mr. Tinubu said economic reforms had improved the outlook but acknowledged continued pressure on households, while setting out priorities including lower living costs, jobs, farming and social support.
President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu have called for unity and continued public effort as Nigeria marked its 66th Independence anniversary. In a message posted on X on Thursday, Mr. Sanwo-Olu acknowledged the difficult periods Nigeria had experienced since independence on October 1, 1960, while pointing to what he described as significant progress.
He said Nigerians had shown resilience and determination through those challenges. The Lagos governor said he remained optimistic about the country’s future and urged citizens to view Nigeria’s diversity as a strength rather than a source of division. He also called on people to remember those who had contributed to the country’s independence and development.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us,” Mr. Sanwo-Olu said, adding that the country’s future would be shaped by present choices and the work citizens were prepared to undertake together. In his Independence Day address, Mr.
Tinubu said Nigeria was moving from a period of economic reform towards prosperity. He said his administration had taken difficult decisions since taking office and claimed that the economy grew by more than 4% in 2026, while inflation had fallen from its peak, foreign reserves had been rebuilt and the foreign-exchange market had stabilised. The President said the next priority was to turn those changes into improved living conditions.
He identified reducing the cost of living, creating jobs and expanding opportunities as key aims. He said the government would focus on mechanised irrigation and dry-season farming, access to seeds and fertiliser, agricultural mechanisation, and investment in storage and transport. He also pointed to roads, railways and ports linking farms and factories with markets.
Mr. Tinubu acknowledged that millions still faced high costs for food, education, healthcare and transport. He said social support programmes would be strengthened alongside longer-term measures to reduce poverty.
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