Abuja, Nigeria – Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Friday, March 13, 2026, called on media proprietors and executives to extend the same level of scrutiny applied to his administration to state and local governments, emphasizing that subnational authorities now enjoy greater financial autonomy. Okay News reports that the appeal came during a meeting with media executives at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja, the nation’s seat of government.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money. But how they use it is in your hands, so don’t bombard me alone. Look at local government too, and equally, the sub-national,” Tinubu said.
The President highlighted reforms introduced by his administration that have strengthened the financial standing of Nigerian states. “Today, there is no state that is borrowing to pay the salaries of employees. Yes, we can complain that it’s not enough. We can complain we are not where we should be, but we have to manage what we have to sustain today, survive tomorrow, and make progress,” he stated.
Historically, many Nigerian states struggled to meet salary obligations, often relying on loans or bailouts from the federal government during periods of low oil revenue. According to the federal administration, increased allocations to states and local governments have been supported by higher crude oil production, improved revenue collection by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and the direct payment of local government allocations following a landmark Supreme Court of Nigeria ruling in July 2024, granting fiscal autonomy to local councils.
President Tinubu expressed appreciation to media proprietors for their criticism, saying it had encouraged him to perform better. “Thank you for inspiring me and challenging me in critical moments of my life. If I look at various barrages of negative comments as opposed to positive aspects of the assignment, I shouldn’t be standing here. That is the truth. You didn’t spare me, but you challenged me, provoked that intellectual curiosity of a leader that must perform,” he said.
He also revealed that he reads newspapers daily, describing it as “an addiction.” “There is no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. I read all of you, might not be in full detail, but the headline, the one that hit me,” he disclosed.
Acknowledging initial challenges in handling criticism, Tinubu said, “I was just initially at the beginning of this administration a little stubborn because the hit was on from the papers and from various opinion leaders in this country.”
He defended controversial policy decisions, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy in May 2023. “The problem is leadership with responsibility of taking decisions at the time it was to be done. Otherwise, it’s a failure. At the time, we had to confront the subsidy. Nigeria was cheating on the edge of bankruptcy. But having asked for the job and getting it, I cannot look back other than make corrections as I move along, save the nation, bring it back from the brink,” Tinubu explained.
The President insisted that Nigeria has been pulled back from the edge of economic collapse, citing improvements in foreign exchange management and inflation control. “Today, I can stand proudly before you that we are back from that brink. Can you imagine a nation that only the airline for reimbursement of their tickets had galloping exchange rates, galloping inflation?” he asked.
Tinubu rejected the idea of categorizing critics as enemies, instead calling them contributors to nation-building. “I don’t categorise anybody as arch-critical. I see them as simulators who can build a nation. We all want good for this country. There is no doubt about that. So no matter how critical an opinion is or on the edge of it, they want the goodness of the country.”
He accepted full responsibility for the outcomes of his policies, saying, “I accept the asset and liability of my policies because I asked for the job and it was given to me. So I have to do it.”
The President acknowledged the challenging economic environment for media organizations, particularly regarding funding. “I know you are challenged. It’s very tough out there. Source and application of funds is almost impossible to acquire in a time of challenges, and you’ve seen it carefully that no one of us is insulated as a member of this world community. What is happening in the Middle East or anywhere else will affect us. It will definitely affect us,” he said.
He also discussed tariffs affecting the media industry, promising to address the matter. “The question of tariff was discussed this afternoon. What I cannot report back here is whether I took action in the area that affected you or not, but if I missed that, I’ll go back to rectify,” Tinubu said.
The President commended media proprietors for their innovations during difficult periods and pledged continued dedication to improving Nigeria. “I promise you that this job, I’ll continue to do with dedication, patriotic dedication, to improve Nigeria. It is all in our hands. It’s a collective responsibility, you, me, and those people that we assign.”
Friday’s Iftar, marking the last of the 2026 Ramadan season, drew media executives from across print, television, radio, and digital platforms.
