Recall that US President, Don­ald Trump, had designated Ni­geria as a country of particular concern, citing alleged genocide against Christians.

Reacting to the allegations personally, Tinubu stated, “Do we have problems? Yes. Are we challenged by terrorism? Yes. But we will defeat terrorism. We will overcome the CPC designa­tion. Nigeria is one happy family, and we shall spare no effort until we eliminate all criminals from our society. We want our friends to help us as we step up our fight against terrorism, and we will eliminate it”.

He said the country has en­tered into diplomatic engage­ments already, and was poised to address those concerns of in­security.

The president gave his position on Thursday, while presiding over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, stressing that “the most important thing is the fact that despite the political head­winds and the fear of our people, we will continue to engage with partners.”

He passed the Nigerian econ­omy as buoyant, such that has started attracting investors confi­dence, shortly after a brief presen­tation by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for Economy, Wale Edun.

“The success of the $2.3 bil­lion Eurobond that was over­subscribed by 400% is the most assuring. So, the task ahead is immense; we are engaging the world diplomatically, and we as­sure all of you that we will defeat terrorism in this country.

“The task ahead is immense, but it is our resolve to move for­ward with unity and purpose, guided by the Renewed Hope Agenda to build a prosperous, inclusive and resilient Nigeria.”

He stated that Nigeria remains on a steady growth trajectory, with more promise of stability and prosperity as economic reforms continue to yield results and gain national and international accep­tance.

On the security challenges fac­ing the country, Tinubu charged Nigerians not to succumb to de­spair, assuring that the govern­ment will defeat every form of terrorism and secure every part of the country.

He called ministers and other officials to ensure consistency in communication and avoid discor­dant messaging.

He assured that government will continue to sustain and con­solidate the economic gains.

Earlier in his address, the Minister of Finance and Coordi­nating Minister of the Economy noted that the macroeconomic indicators showed the economy had picked up, with one of the best results in the last decade.

Edun said: “The reforms that have been taken under your Re­newed Hope Agenda, so bold and sometimes unpopular, are rooted in a clear objective to build a com­petitive economy that attracts, creates jobs and lifts millions out of poverty.

“In Q2 2025, Nigeria’s GDP grew by 4.23%, the highest in a de­cade, outside the COVID rebound. Thirteen sectors recorded growth above 7% up from nine sectors in the previous quarter.

“The industrial sector nearly doubled its growth from 3.72% to 7.45%, reflecting rising produc­tivity and investor confidence. Inflation eased to 18.02% in Sep­tember 2025. As we know, foreign exchange reserves topped $43 billion, and our trade surplus reached N7.4 trillion.

“Clear examples of macroeco­nomic stability, as the consumer spending basket published earli­er this year shows, our citizens now spend maybe about half of the income on basic needs, food, shelter and clothing, as compared with almost 90% previously.

“This signals a country mov­ing from subsistence towards pro­ductivity and indeed affluence.’’

“The success of this Eurobond is a clear indication of renewed investor confidence in Nigeria’s reform agenda and prudent eco­nomic management,” the minis­ter said.

He noted that the government is now preparing for the next phase of reforms aimed at im­proving the investment climate, stimulating productivity, and driv­ing inclusive growth.

“We will remove barriers hold­ing back investors and review tariffs and import restrictions to encourage industrial expansion,” he said.

Edun explained that a com­prehensive review of the federa­tion’s and Federal Government’s balance sheets is underway to optimise asset management and strengthen fiscal sustainability.

“We are improving fiscal re­porting, enhancing budget real­ism, and tightening expenditure frameworks to ensure that the gains of our reforms are felt by all Nigerians,” he added.

The minister said the vision of reaching a one trillion dollar economy by 2030 was achievable by pursuing a 7% annual growth and a commitment to ending pov­erty as a moral imperative.

“Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force Grey List marks a major milestone in strengthening our financial integ­rity and confidence.

“At the recent World Bank/ IMF annual meetings, global leaders commended our reforms, our progress and the revised IMF growth forecast of up to nearly 4% and improved credit ratings,’’ the minister added.

He said there was an urgency to mobilise domestic resources and provide investment to fi­nance infrastructure, as well as drive sustainability and job-rich growth.

Yesterday’s (Wednesday) huge­ly successful $2.35 billion Euro­bond issuance, in which the order book peaked at over $13 billion, is a testament to continued investor confidence in our country, our re­form agenda and Mr President’s leadership.

“Despite the political head­winds which we are all aware of, the market shrugged off those po­litical considerations and focused on the economic fundamentals of Nigeria’’, he stated.

For greater inclusivity, Edun urged ministers overseeing sectors such as infrastructure, mining, education, health, agri­culture, the blue economy, digital innovation, arts, and culture to collaborate with sub-national gov­ernments to identify and package projects that meet investor expec­tations.

“Every naira must be opti­mised to sustain momentum amid global liquidity constraints. Where there is less funding from multilateral institutions, we must rely on our own resources. The next phase of reforms will remove barriers holding back investors. We will review tariffs and import restrictions to stimulate produc­tivity and investment,’’ he said.

Nigeria Responding To Genuine Con­cerns Raised By Trump — FG

Meanwhile, Minister of Information and National Ori­entation, Mohammed Idris, on Thursday, admitted that the security concerns raised by United States President, Donald Trump, were genuine, but that efforts were ongoing to address them, to ensure that all citizens are safe irrespective of faith or ethnic affiliations.

Idris, who also admitted that the Trump designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern came up for deliberations at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, said beyond the political undertone, Nigeria remains safe for everybody.

Addressing reporters shortly after the meeting, Idris said the Tinubu administration remained firmly committed to ensuring that every Nigerian is safe, and that the right to freedom of worship, guaranteed under the constitu­tion, would continue to be upheld without fear or intimidation.

He acknowledged that cases of violent extremism persist in parts of the country but main­tained that security agencies are actively addressing the situation in partnership with regional and international allies.

“The killing of even one Nige­rian is of concern to the govern­ment of Nigeria,” Idris said. “Our constitution guarantees every cit­izen the right to worship without lethal hindrance, and we are fully committed to that,” he reassured.

The minister dismissed sug­gestions of instability within the administration, saying President Bola Tinubu and members of the Federal Executive Council remain calm, focused and united.

“Yes, there are security is­sues; yes, people are being killed in some areas. But government is responding, and doing so with the utmost sense of responsibility,” he said. “There is no panic mode here. The president is calm; the Council is calm. government is stable.”

Idris stressed that Nigeria is working closely with neigh­bouring countries and partners such as the United States to curb terrorism, secure porous borders and bolster intelli­gence-sharing.

“Issues of terrorism and vio­lent extremism are not tackled by one country alone. We continue to engage regional partners and national partners, including the United States,” he said.

“Channels have been opened, and we prefer the situation is han­dled diplomatically rather than escalated through rhetoric.”

According to him, the admin­istration will continue to strength­en law enforcement capacity and reinforce directives to security agencies to maintain order na­tionwide.

“We will continue to impress on our security agencies to main­tain law and order wherever they are,” he said. “Whatever concerns there are, the government of Nige­ria will take care of them.”

Idris added that the coun­try’s long-standing tradition of religious tolerance would be pre­served, and that Nigeria would continue to welcome support from the international communi­ty while responding in a manner consistent with its sovereignty, dignity and national interest.