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The Wine and Beverages Importers Association (WBIA) has applauded President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its sustained efforts in revitalising the nation’s economy under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking with the Daily Sun in Lagos, the President of the association, Chief Jude Okonkwo, lauded the Federal Government’s transformation drive across key sectors such as infrastructure, education and healthcare.
According to him, “The President is doing a great job. The exchange rate between the Naira and the dollar has remained stable for some time now, which is good for business.”
Chief Okonkwo also highlighted major initiatives such as the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project, describing it as a game-changer for commerce and connectivity. He further praised the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which offers zero-interest loans to undergraduates, repayable upon employment, as a bold step toward educational inclusion.
Commending the health minister, Dr. Ali Pate, for his efforts in strengthening the healthcare sector, Okonkwo said the administration’s reforms, though tough, were beginning to yield tangible results.
He noted that Nigeria’s foreign reserves had seen a remarkable rebound, rising from $4 billion in 2023 to over $23 billion in 2024, while the government has successfully settled a substantial N30 trillion Ways and Means loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria, signalling fiscal discipline and renewed investor confidence.
Okonkwo further stressed that the exemption of essential goods and services such as food, education and healthcare, from the Value Added Tax (VAT), alongside targeted interventions for low-income households, demonstrates the administration’s commitment to inclusive growth.
He also acknowledged the Federal Government’s efforts to empower citizens through digital skills training, consumer credit schemes for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and the ongoing transition to clean energy, including investments in solar power and compressed natural gas (CNG) for transport.
Chief Okonkwo reaffirmed the WBIA’s support for President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, describing it as a realistic pathway to national prosperity and sustainable development.
