President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigerians to embrace hard work, stating that “there is no free beer parlour anymore.” He emphasized the need for patience and a focus on agriculture as the government works on rebuilding and revitalizing the nation’s economy.
Tinubu made these remarks during a visit from the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of the National Assembly, led by former Senate President Ken Nnamani, in Abuja. He acknowledged the challenges citizens are facing, particularly hunger and frustration, but called for patience as his administration implements economic reforms.
“We understand the hardship. We don’t want people to remain hungry or angry, but we must work hard. There’s no more free beer parlour. We’re retooling and rebuilding the economy,” Tinubu said.
His comments come as Nigerians deal with the effects of economic difficulties, exacerbated by the removal of the fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira. The president’s first-day policy to eliminate the petrol subsidy has seen fuel prices more than triple, with petrol now selling for between N950 and N1,100 per liter in Abuja.
Furthermore, the decision to unify exchange rates has driven the naira to a historic low, falling from N600 per dollar in May 2023 to over N1,500 per dollar. As of Friday, the official exchange rate stood at N1,544 per dollar.