President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has admitted that the intense criticism his administration faced at the start of its economic reforms almost made him stop reading newspapers.
Speaking during an engagement with media executives at the Presidential Villa, Tinubu said the early criticism was difficult but ultimately pushed him to stay focused on implementing what he believed were necessary reforms to rescue Nigeria’s economy.
“I thank you for your criticism at the beginning of the administration. You challenged me… You nearly stopped me from reading, but I’m glad you now give credit to those reforms,” the President said.
Tinubu acknowledged that many of his administration’s decisions were painful but insisted they were necessary to prevent the country from slipping into deeper economic trouble.
According to him, the reforms have helped stabilise public finances, improved investor confidence, increased revenues to states, and returned Nigeria “from the brink.” He also urged journalists to remain responsible and continue holding governments at all levels accountable.
