Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Monday, February 9, 2026, said his administration would overcome terrorism and banditry, calling the security threats “unacceptable” and contrary to the country’s values.
He spoke in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, while declaring open the Second National Economic Council Conference at the State House Conference Centre, a gathering of federal and state leaders focused on economic policy coordination.
“I promise you here that I’ll play my part. Seven zones of mechanisation are coming. I promise Nigerians that this will be delivered, and I am here again to further find ways to strengthen our security forces and defeat terrorism.
“That, I promise you, is what has kept all of us sleepless at night, but I assure you we will win with determination and resilience. We will overcome this unacceptable terrorism and banditry. It’s not part of our culture. It’s foreign to us,” he said.
President Tinubu argued that insecurity is also an economic problem because it disrupts farming, trade, investment and daily life. He urged leaders at all levels to work together for urgent solutions, as attacks and kidnapping linked to banditry and insurgency have continued to affect communities in different parts of Nigeria.
He praised the governors of Borno State in north-eastern Nigeria, Katsina State in north-western Nigeria, and Kaduna State in north-western Nigeria, as well as other state leaders, for their efforts in confronting insecurity, saying they had done “so much to defend our freedom, liberty and our commonwealth,” he added.
The National Economic Council (NEC) is a constitutional economic policy body in Nigeria that brings together the Vice President of Nigeria, state governors and key federal officials to discuss national and subnational economic issues. The council is chaired by Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima.
Okay News reports that the two-day conference is themed “Delivering Inclusive Growth and Sustainable National Development: The Renewed Hope National Development Plan 2026 to 2030,” and is aimed at aligning national priorities with actions at state and local government levels.
President Tinubu said the conference reflected a shared commitment to national progress and thanked ministers, members of the National Assembly of Nigeria, development partners and private sector leaders for participating.
He also used the event to defend his administration’s economic reforms, saying they had helped stabilise the economy and rebuild confidence. “I must say again at this juncture, the monetary policy that we have embarked on since the reforms has yielded positive results and gained recognition around the world,” he noted.
He commended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria’s apex monetary authority, under Governor Yemi Cardoso, for what he described as steps that restored confidence in the country’s monetary policy.
The president said state and local governments were receiving increased and more predictable federal allocations, which he said improved their ability to pay salaries, invest in infrastructure and deliver social services. He added that his administration had prioritised infrastructure across transportation, power, digital connectivity, housing and irrigation.
He said social investment and human capital programmes had been expanded to support vulnerable households, youth, women and small businesses, and pointed to the Renewed Hope Ward Development Project as part of a “bottom-up approach” to development.
Looking ahead, President Tinubu described the Renewed Hope National Development Plan 2026 to 2030 as the next phase of Nigeria’s national development agenda, built around inclusive, resilient and environmentally sustainable growth. He listed priorities that include economic diversification and productivity, human capital development, stronger competitiveness among states based on comparative advantage, private sector-led growth and climate resilience.
He said implementation would depend heavily on state and local government action, making the National Economic Council central to turning plans into measurable outcomes. He urged leaders to move from “declarations to implementation,” referencing data-driven decision-making, peer learning among states and innovative financing.
President Tinubu said he expected the conference outcomes to support agricultural diversification, including dairy farming, livestock investment and ranching, as part of efforts to improve food systems and expand economic opportunities.
The statement was signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, and dated Monday, February 9, 2026.
