Tinubu Woos Global Investors in Paris, Reveals 11.2% GDP Growth in Dollar Terms for 2025

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken his economic reform pitch to global investors in Paris, France, where he emphasised transparency, fiscal discipline, and the rationale behind his administration’s bold reforms. Akahi News can confirm that the meeting, which drew heavyweight financial institutions from across the world, was part of the President’s three-nation trip that began on Sunday.

Akahi News learnt that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, presented a compelling case for Nigeria’s economic resurgence. He disclosed that the country recorded an impressive 11.2% GDP growth in dollar terms in 2025 – a record that reinforces Nigeria’s ambition to achieve a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

But what does 11.2% growth in dollar terms actually mean for the ordinary Nigerian who is still struggling with high transport fares and food prices? That is the question the government must now answer.

Quarterly Financial Data to Be Published – A Transparency Pledge

Oyedele did not stop at celebrating past growth. He outlined the government’s near-term priorities, emphasising that the ultimate goal is to translate these reforms into tangible results for the Nigerian people. In a significant move towards transparency, he pledged that the government would publish quarterly financial data.

Akahi News gathered that the Director General of the Debt Management Office, Mrs Patience Oniha, also addressed the investors, assuring them of the government’s responsible approach to debt financing and its focus on sustainable debt management. This is crucial. Nigeria’s debt profile has been a source of concern for both domestic and international stakeholders. Oniha’s message was clear: we are borrowing, but we are borrowing wisely.

The investors in attendance read like a who’s who of global finance. Represented were Citibank, France’s Amundi (led by Valerie Baudson), BlueCrest, the Britain- and South Africa-based Ninety One, Kirkoswald Capital, Principal Finisterre, US groups Prudential Global Investment Management (PGIM), and Mesarete Capital. These are not small players. Their interest – or lack thereof – can move markets.

President’s Message: Policy Stability and Diligent Execution

President Tinubu, speaking at the meeting, laid out the pillars of his economic reform programme. According to him, the administration’s measures include removing economic distortions and stabilising macroeconomic indicators. The goal, he said, is to lay the foundation for sustained inclusive growth.

He further committed to deepening reforms, enhancing transparency across the oil value chain, and implementing a multi-pronged security strategy that includes police decentralisation and disrupting terrorist financing. It is a wide-ranging agenda that touches on the two biggest challenges facing Nigeria: the economy and security.

“The focus remains on policy stability and diligent execution to ensure these strategic shifts translate into concrete benefits for all Nigerians,” President Tinubu said.

That word – “concrete” – is the key. Nigerians are tired of abstract growth figures. They want to see jobs created, prices stabilised, and the naira strengthened. The President appears to understand this. But understanding and delivering are two different things.

Investors Commend Reforms, Ask About Post-2027 Agenda

Akahi News learnt that some of the investors who spoke at the meeting commended the government’s transformative reforms and expressed optimism about the Nigerian economy. That is the good news. International confidence is a prerequisite for foreign direct investment.

However, one investor raised a question that cut to the political heart of the matter: what is President Tinubu’s post-2027 agenda? The President’s response was measured but telling. He promised to strengthen fiscal discipline and transparency, and to deliver policy consistency. In other words, he is signalling that his reforms are not just election-season gimmicks but a long-term vision.

The question itself is significant. It suggests that investors are already looking beyond the 2027 elections, weighing the risk of policy reversals should a new administration come to power. Tinubu’s pledge of policy consistency is designed to reassure them that Nigeria’s economic direction will not change with the political wind.

What Does This Mean for Ordinary Nigerians?

The Paris meeting is part of a broader strategy to rebrand Nigeria as an investment destination. The $1 trillion economy target by 2030 is ambitious. For context, Nigeria’s current GDP is around $400-500 billion depending on exchange rate calculations. Doubling or tripling that figure in five years requires not just growth but transformational growth.

Akahi News believes that the government’s transparency pledges – including quarterly financial data – are welcome steps. For too long, Nigerians have been kept in the dark about how their money is spent. Regular data publication will empower civil society, the media, and citizens to hold the government accountable.

But transparency alone does not fill bellies. The government must now ensure that the 11.2% GDP growth in dollar terms translates into better purchasing power for the naira. It must ensure that the security reforms lead to safer roads and farms. It must ensure that the oil value chain transparency reduces theft and increases revenue.

The investors are optimistic. That is good. But the ultimate investors are the Nigerian people. And they are still waiting for their dividends.

A Philosophical Reflection on Growth and Distribution

There is an old economic debate: does GDP growth automatically benefit the poor? The answer, sadly, is no. Growth can be captured by the elite. It can be concentrated in urban centres. It can benefit foreign investors more than local communities. For growth to be inclusive, deliberate policies of redistribution and opportunity creation must accompany it.

President Tinubu used the phrase “sustained inclusive growth.” That word “inclusive” must not become rhetorical decoration. It must mean that the farmer in Borno, the trader in Aba, and the cobbler in Ibadan all feel the impact of the reforms. It must mean that the gap between the rich and the poor narrows, not widens.

Akahi News will be watching to see whether the quarterly financial data shows not just macroeconomic stability but also improved social indicators – better health outcomes, higher school enrolment, lower unemployment. Those are the metrics that ultimately matter.

The Paris meeting was a success by the government’s own account. But the real meeting is with the Nigerian people. And that meeting is held every day, on every street, in every market. The government must win that meeting too.

📌 Key Summary Box – What You Must Know

• ✔ President Tinubu met with global investors in Paris, including Citibank, Amundi, BlueCrest, Ninety One, PGIM, and others.
• ✔ Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele disclosed that Nigeria recorded 11.2% GDP growth in dollar terms in 2025, reinforcing the ambition of a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
• ✔ Oyedele pledged that the government will publish quarterly financial data to enhance transparency.
• ✔ DMO Director General Patience Oniha assured investors of responsible and sustainable debt management.
• ✔ President Tinubu promised policy stability, diligent execution, security reforms (including police decentralisation), and transparency in the oil value chain.
• ✔ One investor asked about Tinubu’s post-2027 agenda; he responded with a pledge to strengthen fiscal discipline and policy consistency.
• ✔ For Nigerians: While international investor confidence is growing, ordinary citizens need to see reforms translated into lower prices, better security, and improved living standards. The quarterly data pledges are a step forward, but results remain the ultimate test.