Economy: Tinubu focused on solutions not blame games – Bagudu

…As Leadership School Graduates 2,950

By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA: The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has emphasised that the President Bola Tinubu administration does not indulge in trading blame but rather remains open to ideas and recommendations aimed at delivering good governance.

Bagudu, a former governor of Kebbi State, explained that the Renewed Hope Agenda acknowledges that Nigeria was far from its desired state when the president assumed office, hence the necessity for bold decisions—whether convenient or not—in the interest of national progress.

The minister spoke on Saturday in Abuja during the graduation of the 22nd cohort of the Centre for Leadership Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) School of Leadership, themed “Leadership and Economic Development”.

According to him, Tinubu acted decisively at the outset of his administration because the economy was at its lowest and could no longer sustain the fuel subsidy regime, which was detrimental to citizens’ welfare.

He pointed to Nigeria’s rising GDP and cited the World Bank’s projection of 3.7% growth in 2025 as evidence that the country is moving in the right direction.

Bagudu further stressed that it would be unfair to compare Nigeria’s trajectory with Rwanda or Singapore, given its unique democratic structure and free-market system.

The minister stated, “One thing I can assure this gathering is that we, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, don’t have all the answers. We are humbled by any interrogation, we are humbled by every suggestion that can help us to get it right.

“Our Renewed Hope Agenda is a recognition that were not where we wanted to be when we took over but we are not going to play blame-games, and to get to where we should be or face the right direction, we should take all courageous decisions pleasant or otherwise, and we took them and we believe the results are coming in, some of which are in public domain already.

“But because we have done well does not mean we cannot do better and we are humble to acknowledge that. So we believe we have a strategy, we believe the choices we have made in the last two years are paying results. For example, the revenue going to sub-nationals have literally tripled.

“There are some states currently that their domestic debts have dropped by 80 percent because the federal government was very active in ensuring that all refunds, payments and debts intended to states have been cleared. So that has improved physical space for the two tiers of government but we also appreciate that we need to do more.”

Also speaking, Founding Executive Director of Centre LSD, Dr Otive Igbuzor, said Nigeria and Africa are at a crossroads due to repeated leadership shortcomings.

According to him, prosperous nations are those that have leaders with vision, built strong institutions, and mobilised citizens towards productivity.

“We have abundant human and natural resources, yet poverty, unemployment, and inequality persist. The paradox is stark: Nigerians excel globally—in medicine, academia, technology, and business—yet we struggle with poor governance and economic underperformance at home. The missing link is effective political leadership,” Igbuzor said.

He urged graduands to embrace transformational leadership founded on character, competence, courage, and compassion.

“Lead with integrity even when it is costly. Be a voice for justice and equity. Be strategic yet grounded in the needs of your communities.

“I urge all of us – leaders, citizens, institutions – to embrace the call to rebuild Nigeria and Africa. Let us not surrender to despair. Let us commit to values. Let us commit to leadership. Let us commit to action”, he said.

In his remarks, Executive Director of Centre LSD, Mr Monday Osasah, noted that the number of graduates from the institution rose to 2,950.

He explained that the schools are tuition-free to allow those who cannot afford expensive leadership training elsewhere to benefit.

“The Centre LSD Leadership Schools are run free of charge to ensure that those who cannot afford such high-quality education elsewhere have access to this transformative opportunity. This initiative would not have been possible without the selfless contributions of our lecturers and the tireless efforts of the leadership school team, who have dedicated their Saturdays to this noble cause,” he said.

Ford Foundation’s Regional Director for West Africa, Dr Chichi Aniagolu, praised the Centre’s mission of building strategic leadership for sustainable development, describing it as a “clear and important goal.”

She said: “The work of this centre, powered by dedicated lecturers who believe in the power of community, is a true model of leadership. It demonstrates a commitment to nurturing the next generation of changemakers and to creating spaces where potential can be realised, and dreams can be nurtured.”

Delivering the keynote lecture, Dr Benson Uwheru called on policymakers to embrace policies that support inclusive growth and promote strong public-private partnerships for sustainable development.

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