Sixth Wave: Tinubu’s 90‑Day Plan to Make Relief Reach Every Home, By Olabode Opeseitan

On 22 October, the National Economic Council endorsed a 90‑day economic action plan presented by Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele at its 161st meeting. It is the sixth wave of relief since President Bola Tinubu removed the fuel subsidy in May 2023, and the first built around a national tracking dashboard. The official statement gives no budget or details of the eligibility rules, so this analysis focuses on how the five priorities are designed to bring down the cost of living.

What Each Measure Sets Out To Do

Food Affordability
Food takes the largest share of poor households’ budgets, and food inflation was 19.59% in September. Greater supply and cheaper movement to market push prices down for everyone who buys there. Unlike a cash transfer, that relief reaches every home, though wealthier households may still choose the supermarket.

Tax Harmonisation
Traders often face overlapping levies from federal, state and local authorities. Aligning them cuts hidden costs that end up in the price of goods.

High‑Impact Projects
Finishing roads, power and transport schemes lowers the cost of doing business. NEC approved a national dashboard to track projects, with emphasis on how proceeds from subsidy removal are used. Citizens will be able to check delivery for themselves.

Investment Bottlenecks
Fewer delays and barriers should attract capital and create jobs. The payoff will outlast the 90 days, but the direction is right.

Regulated Household Support
The word “regulated” points to rules and targeting, which should direct help to the poorest and avoid wasteful handouts. Details are not yet published.

Transport: The Clearest Gain

NEC resolved to set up a joint federal and state financing framework to speed up the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric vehicles. It directed that the programme must deliver tangible benefits through reduced transport costs, and that authorities should engage transport unions so that savings are passed on to commuters through lower fares. Vice President Kashim Shettima set the standard: “We should assess success through affordability and access, rather than fleet size alone.”

This is the measure closest to daily life, and it comes with a test anyone can apply at the bus stop.

Chances of Success

The plan’s strength is its focus on prices, delivery and tracking, not another round of one‑off payments. Oyedele named single‑digit inflation and interest rates by 2027 as key objectives. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it still stands by single‑digit inflation by early 2027, although it concedes that global shocks have slowed the progress it expected. Headline inflation stood at 14.63% in September. The CBN expects further moderation as the harvest season approaches and the exchange rate holds steady.

The early gains are most likely in transport fares and project completion, with food prices and tax reform following as states come on board. Shettima put the challenge to the governors directly: “Our separate mandates must not become competing excuses.” NEC includes every state governor, so their cooperation will set the pace.

The Earlier Waves
Wave one (2023): ₦500bn for MSMEs, manufacturers and 3,000 CNG buses.
Wave two (late 2023): a ₦35,000 monthly wage award for six months, and ₦25,000 transfers to 15 million households.
Wave three (2024): a ₦1 trillion household and construction programme, with ₦50,000 grants to 100,000 families.
Wave four (2025): a ₦200bn agriculture fund and zero‑duty grain imports.
Wave five (8 October 2026): a 10‑point package led by a 30‑day petrol discount at NNPC stations.

The reform agenda has established a clear trajectory. The first waves relied on cash and credit, the fifth went to the pump, and the sixth focuses on delivery that Nigerians can see and verify. As Shettima put it, “the cost of reaching a livelihood should never consume the livelihood itself.” The test is simple: lower fares, steadier food prices and finished projects.

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#everyone

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Tinubu Support Group -TSG
Renewed Hope United Kingdom