President Bola Tinubu has declared that Northern Nigeria will emerge as the biggest beneficiary of his administration’s economic reforms, saying the removal of fuel subsidies has helped rescue the country from severe fiscal pressure and redirect resources into infrastructure and productive sectors.
Tinubu stated this on Tuesday through the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, who represented him at the second edition of the Policy Roundtable organised by the APC Professionals Forum in Abuja under its *Asiwaju Scorecard Series*.
The President, while highlighting the administration’s economic performance, said Nigeria’s gross external reserves had risen to about $52.7 billion as of August 2026, while real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026.
He also noted that inflation had moderated to about 15.4 per cent, describing the developments as evidence of progress under his administration’s economic reforms.
Tinubu linked the reforms to his administration’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030, citing major infrastructure projects such as the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, Lagos-Kano rail corridor and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline as strategic investments expected to transform economic activities across the North.
According to him, improved connectivity and trade infrastructure would position Northern Nigeria as a major commercial gateway linking the country with neighbouring and regional markets.
“The biggest beneficiaries of this economy will be the Northern part of Nigeria, because they will now be trading with countries, trading with Niger, trading with Chad, trading with Burkina Faso, trading with Southern Sudan, trading with Northern Cameroon, trading with Central African Republic.
“The North is the next business destination of Nigeria.”
However, the President’s assessment has attracted divergent reactions from regional groups.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) rejected the claim, arguing that the administration’s economic policies had worsened poverty, inflation and the cost of living in several Northern communities.
In contrast, the Northern Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) backed the administration’s position, saying the structural reforms and distribution of infrastructure represented an improvement compared with previous administrations.
The APC leadership also used the forum to criticise opposition proposals ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly calls for the restoration of fuel subsidies.
Dr Isa Yuguda, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the APC Professionals Forum, warned that returning to the previous subsidy regime could reopen avenues for financial leakages and weaken the fiscal foundation created by the reforms.
He said the savings from the subsidy removal were now being channelled into areas including student loans, border security and regional transportation infrastructure.
