Tinubu’s infrastructure, human capital investments will drive $1tn economy — APC chairman
ABUJA — National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has said the administration of President Bola Tinubu is making strategic investments in infrastructure and human capital development to achieve its target of building a $1 trillion economy.
Yilwatda stated this while receiving the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State, led by its Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Muhammad Audu, at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, the APC chairman said ongoing investments in roads, bridges, rail transportation, deep seaports, education and other critical infrastructure were designed to boost productivity, attract investments, create jobs and stimulate sustainable economic growth.
He said the Tinubu administration had adopted a deliberate approach to infrastructure development, stressing that efficient transportation networks remained essential to achieving long-term economic expansion.
Yilwatda disclosed that the Federal Government was working towards developing five major deep seaports across the country, including the Badagry Deep Sea Port in Lagos State, Olokola Deep Sea Port along the Ondo-Ogun axis, Ibom Deep Sea Port in Akwa Ibom State, Bakassi Deep Sea Port in Cross River State and Bonny Deep Sea Port in Rivers State.
“These are not isolated infrastructure projects. They are part of a larger economic strategy. We are building the infrastructure that will support the one-trillion-dollar economy that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has set as a target for Nigeria,” he said.
He added that the government was also constructing coastal highways and other road networks to link the ports and improve the movement of goods and services nationwide.
“We are building seven coastal roads to connect the five deep seaports. The government is deliberate about this. We want to ensure that our transportation infrastructure supports trade, investment and economic activities across the country,” he said.
Yilwatda also highlighted the strategic importance of the railway project linking Nigeria to Maradi in Niger Republic, saying it would strengthen regional trade and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness as a logistics hub.
According to him, the rail project would facilitate the movement of people and goods while increasing cargo throughput at Nigerian seaports by providing landlocked Niger Republic with easier access to the country’s maritime infrastructure.
The APC chairman said there were currently 81 federal road projects in the North-Central zone and over 260 road and bridge projects across the six geopolitical zones.
He added that the Federal Government had recently approved 27 major road projects valued at about N3.9 trillion across 15 states as part of efforts to improve connectivity, ease transportation and stimulate commerce.
“Our objective is to improve connectivity across the country so that Nigerians can travel from one part of the country to another within a reasonable period. Better roads mean better commerce, easier access to markets, improved access to healthcare and education, and greater opportunities for investment,” he said.
On the economy, Yilwatda said the administration’s tax reforms were aimed at promoting fairness by ensuring lower-income earners paid less tax while higher-income earners contributed proportionately more.
He also said the government’s foreign exchange reforms had improved market management by addressing distortions associated with the parallel market.
According to him, Nigeria’s economic indicators were showing positive signs, citing Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of about four per cent and improved investor confidence.
He further claimed that the country had attracted significant investment commitments, including a reported $20 billion investment by Shell, which he said would create jobs and stimulate economic activities across multiple sectors.
Yilwatda stressed that the administration’s economic reforms were being complemented by investments in education and healthcare.
He commended the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, for its contribution to the training of healthcare professionals, describing the institution as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future.
He also welcomed recent measures by the Federal Government to improve the welfare of university lecturers, expressing confidence that better remuneration and improved working conditions would strengthen the education sector and reduce industrial disputes.
Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Muhammad Audu, appealed to the APC chairman to facilitate access to President Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to enable the institution present its development plans and seek support for critical infrastructure projects.
Responding, Yilwatda assured the delegation that the request would receive due attention, noting that strengthening institutions such as the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, aligned with the administration’s commitment to human capital development.
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