President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday announced that the federal government has disbursed N330 billion to eight million Nigerian households under its social investment programme.
Tinubu made this known in a national broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary, emphasizing that his administration remains committed to protecting the country’s most vulnerable citizens from hardship.
“Under the social investment programme to support poor households and vulnerable Nigerians, N330 billion has been disbursed to eight million households, many of whom have received either one or two out of the three tranches of the N25,000 each,” the president said during his address from the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The president, who has faced public criticism since removing fuel subsidies and unifying the foreign exchange market in 2023, defended his economic reforms as difficult but necessary measures to rescue Africa’s largest economy from collapse. He admitted that the reforms increased inflation and put pressure on household budgets but insisted that the policies are already producing results.
“Yesterday’s pains are giving way to relief,” Tinubu stated, noting that fiscal and monetary actions are stabilising the economy. Official reports show that Nigeria’s inflation rate slowed to 20.12 percent in August, the lowest in three years, while GDP growth in the second quarter of 2025 reached 4.23 percent, the fastest in four years.
According to the president, the removal of fuel subsidies has freed trillions of naira for investments in education, healthcare, security, agriculture, and infrastructure, in addition to targeted social welfare programmes such as the N25,000 cash transfers. The initiative, which started in 2023, was designed to offer temporary relief to low-income families affected by rising food and energy costs.
Tinubu said the scheme has already reached millions of Nigerians across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. He also highlighted youth-focused initiatives including student loans through NELFUND, credit facilities for National Youth Service Corps members, and the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises programme. He described Nigeria’s young population as “the greatest assets of this blessed country.”
The president called on citizens to embrace productivity and innovation, adding that government will “channel saved resources into critical areas like food security, electricity, education, and healthcare.”
“On this anniversary, my message is hope and a call to action, we must be a nation of producers, not just consumers. Let us believe once more in the boundless potential of our great nation,” Tinubu said.