President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has credited his administration with halting the rampant smuggling of crude oil and ending the practice of chasing foreign exchange allocations at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)—achievements he said were made despite inheriting a near-bankrupt economy.
Speaking on Thursday during a meeting with Nigerians living in Saint Lucia, Tinubu declared:
“We inherited a country that was near bankruptcy. But we have been able to rescue the economy. Nigeria has recovered. We have made the smuggling of our oil unattractive. We have stopped chasing forex papers at the Central Bank of Nigeria.”
The President acknowledged Nigeria’s low per capita income but assured that his government is actively working to improve living standards.
The event, held at the official residence of Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre, and later at Windjammer Resort where Tinubu lodged, was part of his state visit. It was facilitated by NIDCOM Chairperson Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who praised the positive contributions of Nigerians in the Caribbean nation and encouraged them to maintain ties with home.
