President Bola Tinubu on Thursday said his administration cannot be blamed for the poverty and hardship Nigerians are battling because citizens were already suffering long before he assumed office.

Mr Tinubu, in a national broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 66th independence anniversary, said, “I am also conscious that millions of our fellow citizens cannot wait for tomorrow. Some Nigerian families still struggle today for the next meal, the next school fee, the next medical bill, or simply enough money to get to work. Their circumstances did not begin with the reforms of the last three years.

“Their struggle is the accumulated consequence of decades of low productivity, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient opportunity and institutions that too often failed those who needed them most.”

The president explained that poverty and hardship in the country had accumulated over the years and cannot be overcome in just four years.

“We cannot erase in four years what accumulated over generations. But we can change its course. We can build an economy that steadily lifts people out of poverty while ensuring that those who remain vulnerable are not abandoned along the way,” said Mr Tinubu. “That is why we are strengthening direct support for the poorest households and improving the National Social Register so that assistance reaches those who genuinely need it.”

According to the president, Nigerians cannot deny evidence of improved economic outlook under his watch.

“Three and a half years later, the evidence that Nigeria’s economic outlook has improved is undeniable. Our economy has grown by over four per cent this year. Both oil and non-oil sectors have contributed to the renewed period of stable growth,” Mr Tinubu said.