President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerians to embrace agriculture and industrialisation as the pathway to national recovery and sustainable growth.

Delivering his Independence Day broadcast, the president urged citizens to shift from being primarily consumers to becoming active producers.

“Let us farm our land and build factories to process our produce. Let us patronise Made-in-Nigeria goods. I say Nigeria first. Let us pay our taxes,” Tinubu declared.

The president acknowledged that his administration inherited a “near-collapse economy”, noting that ongoing reforms have imposed temporary hardship on citizens. However, he maintained that the measures were essential to prevent a total breakdown of the nation’s finances.

Tinubu stressed that government’s success would not be measured by statistics alone but by the daily realities of ordinary Nigerians:

“The true measure is the food on our families’ tables, the quality of education our children receive, the electricity that powers our homes and businesses, and the security in our communities.”

He also called on state and local governments to play their part in driving productivity, pledging federal support for initiatives that promote farming, job creation, and industrial growth.

The president’s renewed push for farming and factory development comes as Nigeria continues to grapple with inflation, unemployment, and high living costs. While his message emphasised self-reliance and resilience, analysts note that success will depend on addressing structural challenges, including infrastructure, financing, and governance.