Edun’s address, titled “Consolidating Economic Stabilisation Gains: Pathway to Sustainable Growth in Nigeria,” marked a clear transition from stabilizing the economy to pursuing growth and expansion. He stressed that the 2026 budget, named the “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity,” will be judged by practical outcomes—such as food security, reliable electricity, and employment opportunities—rather than abstract figures like GDP growth.
A major focus will be poverty reduction through the “Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme,” which aims to integrate 10 million Nigerians into active economic participation across all 8,809 wards nationwide. Edun noted, “Stabilization is behind us, though it remains fragile. Now, we must expand production and ensure households directly benefit.”
Key priorities include housing and food affordability, with support for farmers to increase output and lower costs. “Reforms must translate to cheaper food, better housing, and jobs for ordinary Nigerians,” he added. These efforts build on earlier measures to remove economic distortions, such as preferential access to foreign exchange and fuel subsidies, which Edun said had created unfair advantages. “Today, success depends on innovation, not connections,” he emphasized.
Nigeria’s removal from the EU’s high-risk financial list was also cited as a milestone, boosting investor trust. “This signals our commitment to a transparent, stable economy,” Edun stated. Fiscal reforms—like digital revenue collection and real-time budget tracking—have strengthened state finances, with some states now running surpluses above 3%, enabling increased spending on healthcare, education, and welfare.
Concluding, Edun called 2026 a “pivotal year” to lock in progress, sustain policies, and ensure stability leads to broad-based prosperity. “Nigeria must not just stabilize—it must thrive,” he declared.
