The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has affirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not controlled by any cabal or shadowy power bloc.
Rather, he said, the president is open to diverse viewpoints but ultimately makes independent, bold decisions that serve the best interests of Nigeria.
Idris made this known on Thursday in Abuja while delivering an address at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Policy and Development Summit, themed “Renewed Hope Agenda: The Journey So Far.”
“You need to study the president very well. You can have your voice; you can say what you want to say; he will listen to you, but his decision is ultimately his own. I think it’s important for us to recognize that,” the Minister stated.
Speaking on the theme of the summit, Idris reiterated President Tinubu’s commitment to transforming the country through the Renewed Hope Agenda, which he described as a bold, people-centric blueprint aimed at converting challenges into opportunities.
According to him, the president assumed office at a critical moment in Nigeria’s history and immediately set the tone for transformative governance by making courageous policy decisions.
Among the first actions he cited were the removal of petrol and foreign exchange subsidies, which had long been a burden on the nation's economy, costing billions of dollars annually in losses and inefficiencies.
“True leadership involves the ability to make decisions that might be tough in the short term but are guaranteed to deliver lasting returns,” Idris noted.
He emphasized that the outcomes of these reforms are now becoming visible across various sectors, including infrastructure, energy, social investment, education, and digital technology.
At the federal level, he noted, increased revenue flows have enabled the execution of large-scale infrastructure projects.
He highlighted four major highways — the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, Calabar-Abuja Superhighway, and Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe Highway — totaling over 2,600 kilometers and designed to enhance connectivity and economic integration nationwide.
The Minister also spotlighted the Kano-Kaduna Standard Gauge Railway, a critical component of the broader Lagos-Kano rail modernization project, as a major step towards regional integration and modern transportation under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
In the housing sector, Idris pointed to the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Projects, aimed at addressing the country’s housing deficit while simultaneously creating jobs and stimulating urban renewal.
To support Nigeria’s burgeoning digital economy, the Minister disclosed that the Federal Government is deploying 90,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable nationwide.
He described the initiative as an “unprecedented scale of broadband infrastructure” intended to bridge the digital divide and support smart governance, digital investments, and secure e-services in sectors such as education, healthcare, and commerce.
Idris also highlighted significant progress in education and economic empowerment. He noted that approximately 300,000 Nigerian students are currently benefitting from the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), while working-class citizens are accessing the newly introduced Consumer Credit Scheme to purchase essential goods.
On security, the Minister stated that Nigerian military forces have neutralized and apprehended thousands of insurgents and rescued nearly 10,000 hostages.
He also revealed that over 25 new aircraft have been acquired to bolster air power, while the Nigerian Navy has recently taken delivery of four new vessels.
In the agricultural and regional development sectors, the Tinubu administration has established the Ministry of Livestock Development and created Regional Development Commissions across all six geo-political zones to drive inclusive growth and agricultural modernization.
Idris underscored the holistic and people-centered nature of the Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that the administration’s policies are directly improving the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
“At the other end of every programme and policy of the Tinubu Administration is an ordinary Nigerian whose life is being positively impacted — a Nigerian accessing financing for personal or business use; a Nigerian seeing declining food prices; a Nigerian enjoying affordable transportation via CNG; a Nigerian with reliable electricity; a Nigerian whose child can attend university because of NELFUND,” he said.
He further highlighted the recent enactment of the Renewed Hope Nigeria First policy, which mandates all federal ministries, departments, and agencies to prioritize Nigerian-made goods, services, and expertise in their procurement processes.
“This is historically unprecedented,” Idris stated. “The ultimate goal is to accelerate industrialization through local production and shield the Nigerian economy from external disruptions. Mr. President, thank you for this most nationalistic policy and for laying the foundation of Nigeria’s Economic Renaissance.”
The Minister concluded by reaffirming the administration’s unwavering resolve to deliver on its promises and ensure that the Renewed Hope Agenda continues to yield tangible benefits for all Nigerians.
