Tinubu vows to put jobs, industries at heart of Nigeria’s next phase

President Bola Tinubu has said his administration will make job creation, enterprise and industrial growth central to Nigeria’s next phase of economic development.

Tinubu made the commitment in his Independence Day address on Thursday, October 1, 2026, as Nigeria marked 66 years of independence.

The President said Nigeria’s youthful population could either become a major driver of production or face worsening economic frustration, depending on the opportunities available to young people.

“Millions of young Nigerians enter adulthood every year with talent, energy and ambition,” he said.

“Our responsibility is to ensure that this great demographic strength becomes an engine of production rather than a source of despair.”

Tinubu said the government would deploy Nigeria’s gas resources to support new industries, revive factories in industrial centres and expand digital connectivity to underserved communities.

He also pledged increased investment in skills training and support for businesses through infrastructure and financing.

The President said he wanted to see more Nigerians manufacturing goods, producing food for domestic and international markets and building technology companies capable of creating jobs.

“I want young Nigerians building unicorns and creating opportunities for others here at home,” he said.

Tinubu also identified infrastructure as a key component of the government’s economic strategy, saying roads, railways and ports were being developed to connect farms and factories to markets.

He said reducing production costs would ultimately help lower the prices of goods and improve living standards.

According to him, the government’s economic objective is not merely to increase economic statistics but to ensure that growth translates into productive opportunities and improved living conditions for Nigerians.