President Bola Tinubu used this year's Democracy Day broadcast to declare that his administration is moving from painful reforms to what he called a "post-reform era of accelerated growth." His central message: democracy must be felt in the pocket.

"Yet, many Nigerians still face economic hardship," Tinubu said in the nationwide address on Friday, June 12, 2026. "We remain focused on reducing inflation, expanding food production, creating jobs, improving living standards, rebuilding confidence in our economy, and creating conditions for sustainable prosperity."

The president admitted the reforms of the last three years were tough but necessary. He said that in 2023, Nigeria's public finances were under severe strain, investment was discouraged, and economic uncertainty threatened the future.

"The reforms we are undertaking weren't chosen for ease, but for necessity," he said.

Tinubu listed several achievements since 2023: federation revenues have risen, giving states and local governments more money for infrastructure, education, healthcare, and security. He said fiscal transparency has improved, leakage has been reduced, and investor confidence has returned in sectors like agriculture, energy, manufacturing, technology, mining, transportation, and creative industries.

He also highlighted that domestic refining capacity has increased, strengthening energy security and reducing reliance on imported petroleum products.

On electricity, Tinubu painted a grim picture of what he inherited. By 2023, he said, the sector had chronic generation shortfalls, unreliable gas supply, fragile transmission infrastructure, and distribution companies drowning in massive losses and a metering deficit of over four million. The entire value chain was buried in legacy debt.

"The result was a sector that generated less than the 13,500 Megawatts installed capacity, a sector that transmitted less than it generated, distributed less than it transmitted and collected revenue far below what it needed to sustain itself."

To fix this, Tinubu signed the Electricity Act, granting states authority to generate, transmit, and distribute power. He also noted that a Presidential Power Sector Task Force is working to reduce the metering deficit and has been authorised to raise a N4 trillion bond to settle verified legacy debts.

The Rural Electrification Agency, backed by the World Bank and African Development Bank, has deployed off-grid and mini-grid power to underserved communities, universities, markets, and hospitals.

"Electricity is a democratic dividend we owe every Nigerian. We intend to deliver it," Tinubu said.

On infrastructure, the president said projects are connecting producers to markets and creating opportunities for enterprise and employment. He announced that the National Agricultural Development Fund is deploying 10,000 tractors over the next five years across all states. He also said over 1,000 SMEs have been certified for export, and non-oil exports grew by 21% last year.

Tinubu also addressed local government autonomy, saying his administration has sought financial autonomy for the 774 local councils.

"Recognising that democracy is undermined when people don't feel its impact, my administration has sought financial autonomy for our 774 local councils," he said. "A fundamental challenge to our nation's advancement has been ineffective local government administration. The insecurity we are addressing is partly due to the collapse of grassroots governance."

He ended his speech with a call to unity: "Every generation has a defining responsibility. The generation of our founding fathers secured independence—the generation of June 12 secured democracy. Our generation must secure prosperity."

"Let's move forward together—rejecting division, cynicism, and despair; embracing unity, hope, and confidence."