The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured Nigerians that his administration will continue to take deliberate steps to ease economic hardship, particularly in the wake of global tensions arising from the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Speaking on Friday, 10th April,2026 at a civic reception in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, the President directed key economic officials to urgently explore measures to cushion the impact of rising costs on citizens.
“I hear you from various angles of the economy. The fuel prices are biting hard,” Tinubu said, acknowledging the strain on households, while emphasizing that Nigeria remains comparatively stable within the African context.
The President specifically tasked the Ministries of Finance and Budget and Economic Planning, alongside the Office of the Head of Service, to propose practical solutions to mitigate the economic ripple effects linked to the international crisis.
Tinubu gave the directive after commissioning several landmark projects executed by Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, praising the governor for aligning with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Among the projects inaugurated were a 60-megawatt gas-fired Independent Power Plant in Elebele, Ogbia Local Government Area, the 630-metre Angiama–Oporoma Bridge, and the New Yenagoa City Road. The President described the projects as transformative, saying that they would enhance connectivity, stimulate economic activities, and create jobs.
“Development advances faster when federal and state governments work in partnership,” Tinubu said, commending Diri’s “purposeful leadership” and commitment to infrastructural development.
The event drew a high-profile audience, including Governors Hope Uzodimma, Dapo Abiodun, Umo Eno, and Sheriff Oborevwori. The Deputy Governor of Borno State, representing Governor Babagana Zulum, was also in attendance.
Other dignitaries present included former Delta State Governor James Ibori and media entrepreneur Ben Murray-Bruce.
Earlier in the ceremony, President Tinubu observed a minute’s silence in honour of fallen members of the armed forces and late former Bayelsa Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.
In his remarks, Governor Diri credited the Federal Government’s policy direction for enabling the successful delivery of the state’s power project, describing it as a major milestone toward achieving energy independence and boosting economic growth.
He noted that the newly inaugurated infrastructure would significantly improve the quality of life for residents, enhance connectivity in oil-producing communities, and unlock new economic opportunities, particularly within the blue economy.
The governor further revealed that additional projects, including a 30,000-seat international stadium, a nine-storey state secretariat, and multiple road and bridge networks, are at various stages of completion under his administration’s Assured Prosperity agenda.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to national development, Tinubu stressed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) remains focused on delivering tangible dividends of democracy through infrastructure, job creation, and improved living standards for Nigerians.
