Tinubu Marks 3-Year Anniversary; Defends Economic Reforms as Nigeria Celebrates Democracy Day

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu marked the third anniversary of his inauguration on May 29 — Nigeria's Democracy Day — with public statements defending the Tinubu administration's record of economic reform against intense opposition criticism. Speaking through the presidency and in multiple media addresses, Tinubu cited four key metrics: the naira's stabilization at approximately ₦1,400/USD (down from the 2024 crisis peak of ₦1,600+); the Nigerian Stock Exchange All Share Index rising from approximately 53,000 when he took office in May 2023 to over 250,000 as of May 2026; the return of real GDP growth (Q1 2026: 3.89%); and a reduction in the federal fiscal deficit relative to earlier projections. Critics — including the Labour Party, PDP, and Nigeria Labour Congress President Joe Ajaero — countered that despite macro-level stabilization, ordinary Nigerians continued to face unacceptable inflation (April 2026: 15.69%), a depressed real wage (minimum wage at ₦70,000 vs NLC demand of ₦154,000), mass unemployment among youth, and continued insecurity across the North-East, North-West, and Middle Belt. May 29 also marks the 27th anniversary of the return of civilian democracy in Nigeria with Obasanjo's inauguration in 1999, and is observed nationwide as a public holiday.