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• Earmarks security, agriculture, others
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From Adetutu Folasade-Koyi and Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
In his determination to ensure his re-election in next year’s presidential election, President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday unveiled an eight-point agenda to woo and attract the votes of the Nigerian electorate.
Unveiling the comprehensive blueprint, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, noted that President Tinubu will prioritise security and agriculture if he is re-elected next year.
She said that by the time President Tinubu finishes his second tenure, Nigerians will enjoy lower living costs, food security, reliable power for homes and businesses, quality education, accessible healthcare, affordable homes, secure land, and responsive and accountable governance, among others.
On lowering living costs and food security: inflation set on a sustained downward trajectory, domestic food production, storage and processing expanded, post-harvest losses halved, and goods moving more quickly and cheaply between states.
“Reliable power for homes, businesses and communities: available power generation scaled towards 10,000. Expanded jobs and higher real incomes: annual economic growth accelerated to six per cent, youth unemployment halved, and equitable credit reached half of all economically active Nigerians.
“Quality education and accessible healthcare: out-of-school children halved, more children completing their education, 20,000 additional teachers deployed, health insurance expanded from more than 23 million enrollees to 40 per cent of Nigerians, and primary health centres functioning in at least 90 per cent of facilities, up from 53 per cent today,” she noted.
Oduwole equally spoke on affordable homes and secure land, noting: “A credible route to a decent home for working Nigerian households, working towards 200,000 homes through the Tinubu Mass Social Housing Scheme, MREIF and FMBN mortgages and licensed private developers, tracked on a public dashboard, and a regulated housing industry that protects buyers,” she said.
On responsive and accountable governance, she said: “Digital case management extended from the superior courts to magistrate courts, public services tracked end to end, and local governments receiving their constitutional allocations with clear standards for results.
“Together, we commit to delivering structural progress, national strength and tangible economic security – building a prosperous Nigeria that every citizen can see, feel and share,” she said.
Rolling out a comprehensive security blueprint under what it described as a secure and resilient nation, the presidency, in what it called “our commitments for 2027–2031”, noted that it will complete the establishment and equipping of the four new Army divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City, recruit and train the 28,000 additional personnel approved, and report publicly on their deployment.
“We will sustain intelligence-led kinetic operations against insurgent land kidnapping networks to degrade and dismantle their operating bases, backed by independent verification of reported operational outcomes to build public trust. Strengthen surrender and rehabilitation frameworks through standardised, verifiable reporting on all screened, reintegrated and prosecuted ex-combatants.
“Establish specialised zonal counter-terrorism capabilities while fortifying physical security across schools, commercial markets, places of worship and vital transport corridors. Expand peace-building, trauma support and deradicalisation programmes to enable long-term social recovery, rebuild civic trust and safely resettle internally displaced families in their homes.
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“We will restore peace in every community, train and deploy the 50,000 newly recruited officers and expand recruitment and tactical training towards a 1:400 police-to-citizen ratio, maximising visible patrols across residential neighbourhoods, commercial centres, schools and transit corridors.
“We will launch full implementation of the harmonised police reform programme, deploying modern digital record systems, geographic mapping tools, officer body cameras, emergency dispatch channels and forensic infrastructure nationwide. Transfer static private-protection duties to a fortified Civil Defence Service, beginning with recruitment of the 30,150 approved personnel, returning trained police officers to frontline public safety and crime prevention,” it noted.
While enumerating further, the presidency noted that it will “work with the National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and governors to enact a constitutional and legal framework for accountable state and community policing, maintaining strict national standards and citizens’ rights.”
“We will build a police service people can see, trust and call. Complete e-surveillance coverage of all mapped borders (31 of 190 mapped areas remain), extend e-Gates, passenger-data (APIS) and MIDAS border systems to more entry points, and strengthen patrol, screening and intelligence-sharing.
“Complete nationwide Mining Marshals coverage across all identified mining sites (over 530 identified, 420 already protected) and resolve outstanding governance and funding questions so the unit is accountable and credible.
“We will deploy trained Forest Guards, Agro-Rangers and Mining Marshals to safeguard agricultural belts, farming communities, grazing routes, national forest reserves and mineral deposits.
“Launch full implementation of the National Protection Policy and Strategy for Critical National Assets, with real-time surveillance across energy pipelines, electrical power grids, railways, schools and health facilities.
“We will protect our borders, farms and forests and expand domestic military production of ammunition, personal protective gear, armoured vehicles and tactical drones, generating high-skilled Nigerian jobs while securing defence supply chains.
“We will construct integrated command, control, communications and intelligence systems to achieve early threat detection, rapid tactical response and seamless multi-agency operational coordination. Deepen defence research, technology transfer agreements and private capital co-investment through strategic regional and international defence industrial partnerships.
“Implement the approved multi-tier salary increases for service personnel in full and extend them to cover operational allowances, while broadening affordable housing, healthcare and education support for serving personnel and their families.
“Expedite administrative processing for valid insurance and pension payouts, guaranteeing permanent institutional care and educational sponsorship for the families of fallen heroes. Complete rehabilitation of dilapidated police barracks and housing infrastructure.
“Institutionalise advanced tactical training, comprehensive psychological support, physical rehabilitation programmes and modernised working conditions across all military and security services,” the presidency noted.
