Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has acknowledged the country’s ongoing economic challenges, saying they stem from reforms inherited by the current administration, while accusing critics of using the approaching re-election season to portray Nigeria negatively abroad.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News Digital shared by Arise TV on Monday, Mrs Tinubu said Nigeria recently emerged from a prolonged economic crisis, noting that the removal of fuel subsidy and limited domestic refining capacity had placed pressure on the economy.
She said the administration was implementing reforms to stabilise key indicators, including domestic fuel refining and exchange rate management. According to her, increased local refining has reduced fuel imports and contributed to greater currency stability.
The First Lady also suggested that some criticisms of the government, including allegations by foreign lawmakers of widespread religious persecution, were politically motivated.
“Nigeria is a democracy, and as we approach re-election, there will be attempts to shape narratives for the outside world,” she said.
On security, Mrs Tinubu disclosed that President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency on insecurity in November 2024, leading to the recruitment of 50,000 police officers, 24,000 soldiers and the arming of 10,000 forest guards. She added that over 11,500 police officers previously assigned to VIP duties had been redeployed to security flashpoints such as Plateau, Benue and Taraba states.
She said the government was also seeking international partnerships to support development efforts, acknowledging that Nigeria failed to make sufficient long-term investments during earlier periods of economic growth.
