President Bola Tinubu, in his Independence Day broadcast on Wednesday, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians and driving economic reforms as the country marked 65 years of independence.
Addressing the nation from the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Tinubu described Nigerian youths as the country’s “greatest assets,” urging them to pursue opportunities in science, technology, sports, arts, and the creative industry.
He highlighted key initiatives targeted at education, entrepreneurship, and youth development. According to him, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has disbursed N99.5 billion in student loans and N44.7 billion in upkeep allowances to about 510,000 students across 228 higher institutions nationwide.
“Our administration, through policies and funding, will continue to give you wings to fly sky-high. We created NELFUND to support students with loans for their educational pursuits. Approximately 510,000 students across 36 states and the FCT have benefited,” Tinubu said.
The President also disclosed that the Credicorp scheme had released N30 billion in loans to 153,000 Nigerians for vehicles, solar power, home upgrades, and digital devices. In addition, the YouthCred programme, launched in June, is now extending credit to National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to aid their resettlement.
On broader youth-focused initiatives, Tinubu noted that the Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) programme, developed with partners including the Bank of Industry, African Development Bank, French Development Agency, and Islamic Development Bank, was nearing full rollout to strengthen the technology and creative industries.
Speaking on the economy, the President admitted that reforms had brought hardship, with inflation and rising living costs affecting many citizens. However, he argued that the alternative—economic collapse—was unacceptable.
“The sacrifices being made are laying a new foundation cast in concrete, not on quicksand,” he stated, stressing that true progress should be measured not only in figures but in improved food security, electricity, education, and safer communities.
Tinubu further urged state and local governments to complement federal efforts by promoting productivity and innovation.
“Let us be a nation of producers, not just consumers. Let us farm our land and build factories to process our produce. Let us patronise ‘Made-in-Nigeria’ goods. I say Nigeria first,” he declared.
The President assured Nigerians of a more prosperous, self-reliant future and called for unity in the ongoing nation-building process.
Source:Africa Publicity
