MINISTER OF INFORMATION MOHAMMAD IDRIS NIGERIA IS NOT ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSING
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has dismissed claims that Nigeria is on the verge of collapse, insisting that the country is instead moving steadily toward growth and stability.
Speaking in Abuja at the 2026 Voice of Nigeria Forum themed “51 Years of Nigeria’s Role in Deepening Democratic Stability in ECOWAS,” Idris urged Nigerians to reject what he described as a “false narrative” about the nation’s future.
According to him, repeated claims of collapse are not only misleading but also contradictory.
“You cannot have a country that is about to collapse and you are there planning how to live within it. I think that we need to rethink how we make these statements.
“What do you think others from outside this country will think of us if all the time we project our country as a country that is about to collapse? We have seen and heard this rhetoric over and over again,” he noted.
He acknowledged existing challenges, particularly in security and the economy, but said the administration of President Bola Tinubu is tackling them directly through reforms and strategic interventions.
Idris highlighted key government efforts, including a N5.41 trillion allocation to security in the 2026 budget—the highest sectoral funding—aimed at boosting military capacity and strengthening operations.
Citing recent gains, the minister said armed forces neutralised top terror commanders and rescued over 2,000 kidnapped victims in 2025.
On the economy, he pointed to signs of recovery, claiming inflation has eased to around 15 per cent, while GDP growth exceeded projections at over 4 per cent.
He also noted that Nigeria’s foreign reserves have surpassed $50 billion for the first time in over a decade, alongside rising foreign direct investment.
“Nigeria is on a march towards sustained prosperity, not collapse,” Idris said, urging citizens to project a more balanced narrative about the country’s progress.