Vice President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria's economy would have collapsed without President Bola Tinubu's policy decisions, crediting the administration with averting a severe economic crisis. Speaking at a forum organised by the City Boy Movement and the Relax-Tinubu-Is-Fixing-Nigeria movement, both backing the President's reelection bid in January 2027, Shettima highlighted recent economic indicators as evidence of recovery. He said the President had shown the courage and knowledge to make difficult choices that repositioned the Nigerian economy.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, real gross domestic product grew by 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, up from 4.23 per cent in the same period a year earlier. The NBS also reported that headline inflation stood at 14.63 per cent in September, down from 15.39 per cent in August and 20.98 per cent in September 2025, though food inflation remained elevated at 19.59 per cent. Shettima pointed to foreign reserves as another measure of economic recovery, saying they were now hovering around the 60 billion dollar level. Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria showed external reserves stood at 55.07 billion dollars as of 10 October.
Shettima acknowledged that Nigerians had endured hardship during the adjustment period, but argued the situation could have been worse had the administration not acted. He called for the President to be commended rather than criticised, and promised that robust responses to agricultural challenges would soon follow, with foodstuff prices expected to fall. The Vice President also highlighted efforts to reposition the economy through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and infrastructure investments, and urged young people to spread the government's message.
The comments came as the All Progressives Congress prepares to launch its presidential campaign in Kaduna on 24 October, ahead of the 16 January 2027 election. The City Boy Movement, which has representatives across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, has been mobilising support for the President's reelection since June this year.