President pledges to crush terrorism, boost prosperity, deepen democracy and confer national honours on pro-democracy activists.
President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to security, economic growth and democratic governance as Nigeria marks 27 years of uninterrupted civilian rule.
In his 2026 Democracy Day address, President Tinubu said his government had declared a security emergency, approved the recruitment of over 50,000 police officers and thousands of military personnel, and allocated a record ₦5.41 trillion to defence and security in the 2026 budget.
The President disclosed that terror-related deaths have dropped by 81 per cent since 2015, while more than 13,000 terrorists were neutralised in the past year. He added that over 124,000 insurgents and their dependants had surrendered through Operation Safe Corridor since 2023.
On the economy, President Tinubu said ongoing reforms have increased government revenues, improved fiscal transparency, restored investor confidence and expanded investments in agriculture, energy, manufacturing, technology and the creative sector. He also highlighted progress in electricity reforms, infrastructure development, local government autonomy and agricultural mechanisation.
The President expressed concern over the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno states, assuring Nigerians that efforts were ongoing to secure their release and strengthen national security.
President Tinubu also announced the renaming of the Institute of Petroleum Studies, Kaduna, after the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and revealed plans to confer national honours on dozens of pro-democracy activists, journalists, politicians and military officers who played key roles in the June 12 struggle.
He urged Nigerians to remain united, defend democratic values and work collectively towards building a more prosperous and secure nation.
“June 12 reminds us that Nigerians do not break. We bend, we bleed, but we do not break,” the President declared