Vice President Kashim Shettima has announced that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is transitioning from the stabilisation phase of 2025 into a new era of acceleration in 2026, with the recently passed N58.18 trillion national budget serving as the anchor for rapid, inclusive development across all sectors of the Nigerian economy.
Speaking at the Progressives Governors’ Forum Renewed Hope Ambassadors Summit 2026 held in Abuja on Tuesday, February 25, 2026, Shettima called for reconciliation, unity, and renewed commitment among leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to strengthen grassroots mobilisation and advance the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“As we advance into 2026, our focus shifts from stabilisation to acceleration,” Shettima declared. “The N58.18 trillion budget shall anchor this new phase. A record capital expenditure, the largest allocation to national security in the history of our country and prudent revenue projections, we are scaling growth while strengthening resilience.”
The vice president highlighted the budget’s emphasis on massive capital spending, unprecedented funding for security, and realistic revenue assumptions as key drivers of the acceleration strategy. He described the fiscal framework as a deliberate tool to fast-track infrastructure, human capital development, economic diversification, and improved security nationwide.
Shettima also defended the administration’s tax reforms, describing them as carefully designed to protect vulnerable Nigerians, stimulate enterprise, and promote transparency in public finance management. He pointed to the executive order mandating full remittance of revenues to the federation account as a critical measure to eliminate revenue leakages, dismantle duplicative structures, curb waste, and ensure resources are responsibly deployed for maximum national benefit.
“Today, we are seeing clear signs that our reforms have begun to yield results,” Shettima stated. “Inflationary pressures are moderating, fuel prices are easing, our currency is strong and stable.”
The vice president’s optimistic assessment comes amid mixed public perceptions of the Tinubu administration’s economic policies. While official figures show headline inflation easing slightly from its 2024 peaks and the naira gaining some stability on the official window following forex reforms, many Nigerians continue to grapple with high living costs, unemployment, and the lingering effects of fuel subsidy removal and multiple currency devaluations.
Shettima used the occasion to urge APC leaders, governors, and party faithful to close ranks, reconcile differences, and focus on collective efforts to deliver tangible dividends of democracy. “We must commit to strengthening grassroots mobilisation to promote President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said, emphasizing unity as essential for sustaining momentum and achieving long-term national progress.
The Renewed Hope Ambassadors Summit 2026, organised by the Progressives Governors’ Forum, brought together APC governors, party chieftains, and supporters to review achievements, strategise for the remaining years of the first term, and prepare for the 2027 general elections. The event also served as a platform to rally support for the administration’s economic recovery and growth initiatives.
The N58.18 trillion 2026 Appropriation Act, signed into law by President Tinubu in late December 2025, represents the largest budget in Nigeria’s history. It allocates significant resources to capital projects (infrastructure, agriculture, education, and health), defence and security (amid ongoing banditry, kidnapping, and insurgency challenges), debt servicing, and recurrent expenditure. Critics have raised concerns over the high debt service component, projected revenue assumptions, and the risk of implementation shortfalls due to historical underperformance in capital budget execution.
Shettima’s remarks reflect the administration’s narrative of gradual economic recovery and forward momentum, positioning 2026 as the year when reforms begin to translate into visible acceleration in growth, job creation, and improved living standards.
As the APC looks ahead to consolidating power and delivering on campaign promises, the vice president’s call for unity and reconciliation underscores the party’s recognition of internal challenges and the need for cohesion to counter opposition narratives and maintain public support.
