The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has said Nigeria’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy is achievable, citing what he described as international recognition of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Yilwatda made the remarks at an APC rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where President Tinubu and members of his entourage were hosted by the state government at the Senator Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
The APC chairman said the administration’s economic reforms were laying the foundation for a more productive and prosperous economy, adding that the President’s willingness to address longstanding structural challenges demonstrated a commitment to repositioning the country for sustainable growth.
In a statement issued on November 6 by his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, Yilwatda acknowledged that the reforms had brought difficult economic adjustments but warned against abandoning the process.
He argued that reversing the reforms could return the country to the economic difficulties that necessitated them.
According to him, the $1 trillion economy target is not merely a political ambition but a national development objective supported by deliberate policy decisions and ongoing economic restructuring.
He identified investments in infrastructure, transportation, education, maritime development and financial inclusion as critical components of the administration’s economic agenda.
Yilwatda particularly highlighted the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, describing it as a major infrastructure project expected to improve connectivity, stimulate commercial activities and unlock economic opportunities for Akwa Ibom and other coastal communities.
He also noted that the Federal Government’s focus on developing the maritime sector could strengthen the competitiveness of coastal states and expand their contribution to Nigeria’s economic growth.
On education, the APC chairman commended the student loan initiative, saying it was widening access to higher education.
He also highlighted government interventions targeting women and small businesses, which he said were creating opportunities for increased economic participation.
Yilwatda further defended the administration’s tax reforms, explaining that they were designed to reduce the tax burden on low-income earners and small businesses, allowing them to retain more of their earnings and operate in a more supportive business environment.
He listed improved industrial relations in the education sector and efforts to settle outstanding obligations to workers, pensioners and retirees of formerly privatised public enterprises among the administration’s achievements.
The APC chairman urged Nigerians to remain committed to the reform process, insisting that the country could not afford to reverse the ongoing economic restructuring.
“Never again should Nigeria return to Egypt. We cannot afford to abandon the difficult but necessary work of rebuilding our economy and repositioning our country for sustainable growth,” he said.
He maintained that the administration’s policies and investments were positioning Nigeria for long-term economic growth and called on citizens to support its vision of building a stronger and more competitive economy.
However, the APC chairman’s assertion that the World Bank and IMF recognise the reforms was not accompanied by specific institutional statements or assessments in the statement.
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