President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerians to embrace local products and prioritise national productivity as part of efforts to build a stronger and self-reliant economy.

In his Independence Day broadcast on Wednesday to mark the country’s 65th anniversary, Tinubu urged citizens to look inward, support domestic industries, and shift from being heavy consumers to becoming producers.

“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. I say Nigeria first,” the president declared.

He emphasised that economic transformation required more than government policies, noting that collective effort and public support for local enterprise were vital to sustaining growth. According to him, patronising made-in-Nigeria goods would not only create jobs but also reduce dependence on imports.

The president explained that his administration was determined to ensure that resources saved through reforms and macroeconomic stability were channelled into key sectors such as food production, education, electricity, and security.

Tinubu said the ultimate test of progress would be in the improvement of everyday living conditions for Nigerians. “The accurate measure of our success will not be limited to economic statistics alone, but rather in the food on our family table, the quality of education our children receive, the electricity in our homes, and the security in our communities,” he added.

He ended with a rallying call for unity and belief in Nigeria’s potential. “Let us all be on deck. Let us believe once more in the boundless potential of our great nation,” he said.

Faridah Abdulkadiri

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