Reforms: Today’s foundation is for tomorrow’s prosperity, says Tinubu as he commissions Ogun cargo airport
… Launches Gateway Airline aircraft, 1,000 electric bikes, Customs hub … Commends Abiodun’s leadership, backs reforms boosting sub-national development President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday said the sweeping economic reforms
... Launches Gateway Airline aircraft, 1,000 electric bikes, Customs hub
... Commends Abiodun’s leadership, backs reforms boosting sub-national development
- From Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday said the sweeping economic reforms and infrastructure investments of his administration are designed to secure long-term prosperity for Nigerians, as he commissioned the Gateway Cargo International Airport in Iperu, Ogun State.
Declaring that “today’s foundation is for tomorrow’s prosperity,” the President said ongoing policy and infrastructure interventions are anchored on improving citizens’ well-being and unlocking sustainable growth across sectors.
According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said “our investment is about our people. The infrastructure underscores our faith in our country, the belief that today’s foundation is for tomorrow’s prosperity”.
The airport, built by the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun, is powered by an independent energy source, which the President described as a critical step in strengthening Nigeria’s infrastructure backbone.
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In a series of complementary initiatives, Tinubu also launched two aircraft under the Gateway Airline, 1,000 electric bikes, security vehicles, and agricultural tractors, noting that development must be holistic and impactful at every level.
“I am particularly pleased with the mobility, the security and the agricultural initiatives being fulfilled today,” he added, describing the adoption of electric bikes as a smart, technology-driven response to modern transportation needs and a shift toward cleaner energy alternatives.
The President commended Nigerians for their continued support for the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that recent reforms have translated into increased resources for sub-national governments, enabling them to execute impactful development projects.
He expressed satisfaction with governors’ prudent utilisation of these resources and praised Abiodun for aligning Ogun State’s development agenda with the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Tinubu also lauded the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for reforms that have enhanced ease of doing business and improved staff welfare.
He inaugurated a new Customs hub comprising barracks, a training college, a warehouse and a hospital.
Governor Abiodun thanked the President for the visit, highlighting it as historic and symbolic of the President's commitment to national development and belief in sub-nationals as growth engines.
Governor Abiodun lauded the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which he credited with placing Nigeria on a path of economic recovery, fiscal discipline, and sustainable growth.
The Governor also commended the President for his bold economic reforms, noting that the unification of the foreign exchange rate, the removal of the fuel subsidy, and the repositioning of public finance to reflect market realities have gone a long way toward restoring investors’ confidence and attracting foreign direct investment.
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"Your efforts in expanding revenue through improved tax administration, digitisation of government processes and strengthening of agencies have started to address long-standing structural weaknesses.
" Other landmark initiatives, amongst others, include the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Programme, the NELFUND, the ongoing Rail Modernisation, major highway reconstruction projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Badagry-Sokoto Highway and all reforms in the oil and gas sector aimed at boosting production and transparency, all point to a deliberate reset of our national economy", the Governor said.
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Senate President Godswill Akpabio, while commending the President’s democratic antecedents, said that the National Assembly remained a veritable tool for deepening democracy in Nigeria. Akpabio maintained that without the parliament, there wouldn't be democracy.
The Senate President thanked the President for several key reforms and ideas that he brought to fruition.
"President Tinubu was credited as the first to initiate Independent Power Plants in Lagos, a model that other states across Nigeria have since adopted.”
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Akpabio appealed to the President to decentralise the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) for a more effective power system.
He lauded the President for his strong belief in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), starting with significant growth in Lagos' revenue and implementing reforms at the federal level to empower sub-nationals financially.
" This has enabled states to avoid borrowing for salaries and projects, leading to widespread appreciation from governors", Akpabio said.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on behalf of himself and the people of the state, thanked President Tinubu for his visionary and purposeful leadership and tenacity.
"When Ogun State was created 50 years ago, I was part of the process. Nobody at the time would have thought we would have what we have today. And it is due to what we have got from all the governors and those who have worked with all the governors," the former President said.
Also at the event were the Ministers of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, Communication and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, Governor of the CBN, Olayemi Cardoso, as well as the governors of Borno, Niger, Taraba, Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Bayelsa, and Ekiti states. Traditional rulers from the state also attended the event.
