Tinubu Saved Nigeria from Economic Collapse, Says Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima declared that President Bola Tinubu saved Nigeria from economic collapse. The country had been "teetering on the verge of collapse," according to Shettima, and was already "on the road to Caracas" before Tinubu's administration initiated tough reforms. Shettima announced plans to deploy 10,600 electric tricycles, 300 buses, and electric taxis under an e-logistics program to reduce transportation costs.

This initiative is set to launch in the coming weeks to alleviate the suffering of people in the North-east region. Shettima acknowledged the hardships faced by Nigerians due to the reforms but emphasized that decisions like removing fuel subsidies and realigning foreign exchange rates were necessary to prevent a deeper crisis. The vice president praised Tinubu's courage and conviction in taking difficult measures, particularly the removal of fuel subsidies and changes to the foreign exchange regime.

Shettima appealed to Nigerians for understanding, assuring that the government was aware of the difficulties households faced and would continue to introduce interventions to cushion the effects of the reforms. He highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund as one such intervention aimed at providing access to tertiary education for students from low-income families.

Shettima also stated that the president remained deeply concerned about the impact of the reforms on ordinary Nigerians and would continue to introduce measures to ease their burdens. He confirmed that the administration had been in regular communication with Tinubu, despite his recent absence from the country, attributing this to advances in technology that allowed for ongoing updates on national developments.

Shettima emphasized that politics would coexist with governance and that the administration would not allow pre-2027 election dynamics to divert its focus from effective governance.