Nigerians would have bought tomatoes with naira notes in wheelbarrows without reforms – Tinubu

Nigerians would have used wheelbarrows to buy tomatoes without my reforms, Tinubu says

President Bola Tinubu has claimed that Nigerians would have needed wheelbarrows of naira notes to purchase tomatoes if his administration had not introduced economic reforms.

According to TheCable, Tinubu made the remarks on Friday during an All Progressives Congress rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, ahead of the January 16, 2027, presidential election.

He said the reforms prevented Nigeria from sliding into bankruptcy despite the economic hardship experienced by citizens.

“When I took over, 27 governors out of 36 of this country were unable to pay salary obligations, not to talk of pension and gratuity,” he said.

“If we didn’t take a decision the day I took over, we will use wheelbarrows to move our naira because it would have become valueless. Nothing,” he said.

Tinubu maintained that the naira retained value, citing an exchange rate of N1,300 to the dollar.

He acknowledged the difficulties facing Nigerians but insisted that his administration’s decisions were necessary to stabilise the country’s economy.