Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, on Friday, said the economic and social reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have begun to pull Nigeria away from the edge of fiscal collapse and place the country on the path of recovery.
Salako stated this while delivering remarks at the 2026 Obafemi Awolowo Memorial Lecture held at Efunyela Hall in Ikenne, where he also paid tribute to the late nationalist and former Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Speaking on behalf of the President, Salako said Awolowo remained one of Nigeria’s most influential leaders, describing him as “the best president Nigeria never had.”
“I bring warm greetings from the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as we today once again celebrate the life and times of a pioneering Nigerian nationalist, federalist and revered statesman who has been fittingly described as ‘the best president Nigeria never had,’” he said.
The minister described Awolowo as a man remembered for integrity, intellectual depth, and people-focused policies that transformed the old Western Region.
“Pa Obafemi Awolowo is remembered for his exceptional integrity, intellectualism and implementation of welfare-oriented and human capital development policies which leapfrogged the Western Region to the front row of our country’s socio-economic development,” Salako said.
He noted that Awolowo’s reputation as a “sage” set him apart from other notable figures in Nigerian history.
“To my knowledge, nobody else has been so widely referred to as a sage like Pa Awolowo, qualifying him as a profoundly wise man with deep experience and sound judgement,” he said, adding that Awolowo belonged “in the class of old legends like Confucius, Buddha, Socrates and Laozi, and modern ones like Nelson Mandela, Jane Goodall and Warren Buffett.”
Salako also praised the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation for sustaining the intellectual legacy of the late statesman.
“On behalf of Mr. President, I wish to congratulate the Board of Trustees, the Executive Director, Ambassador Dr. Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu and all members of the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation for keeping the intellectual candle associated with Pa Awolowo burning since 1992,” he said.
Reflecting on Awolowo’s policies, the minister highlighted the introduction of universal basic education in the Western Region in 1955, which he said initially faced stiff opposition from colonial authorities and some parents.
“But he acted firmly and courageously and was quoted to have declared that ‘Any parent who stops a child from going to school will be arrested.’ Chief Awolowo predicted correctly when he said, ‘You may hate me today, but tomorrow you will thank me,’” Salako said.
He added that the South-West region still benefits from the foundation of human capital development laid during Awolowo’s administration.
Salako said Awolowo also prioritised infrastructure development, noting that his government constructed more than 2,000 kilometres of roads, far surpassing the network inherited from colonial rule.
Drawing parallels with the present administration, the minister said President Tinubu demonstrated similar courage and vision through reforms initiated since assuming office in May 2023.
“The reforms that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu introduced on assumption of office are those of a man with clear vision, courage and tenacity to follow through,” he said. “Those reforms literally pulled Nigeria from the precipice of bankruptcy and fiscal collapse.”
According to him, recent economic indicators suggest the country is gradually recovering from the effects of what he described as “radical economic surgery.”
“With a 4.23 per cent GDP growth rate in the second quarter of 2025, reduced inflation to 20.12 per cent as of August 2025, a strengthened and stable naira, significant decrease in the debt service-to-revenue ratio from 97 per cent to below 50 per cent, consistent trade surplus and foreign reserves rising to $50.45bn in February — the highest in 13 years — Nigeria, in the words of Mr. President, has ‘turned the corner,’” Salako said.
He added that the administration was implementing major road projects to integrate the country and stimulate economic growth, including the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway, Trans-Sahara Highway, Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe Road, Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria Expressway and the Sagamu–Ijebu-Ode–Ore–Benin Expressway.
In the health sector, Salako said reforms under the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative were already improving national health indicators.
“Maternal mortality is going down by up to 17 per cent in our high-burden local governments, and so also is the infant mortality rate,” he said.
He added that the primary healthcare revitalisation programme had delivered about 4,000 Level-2 primary healthcare centres in partnership with state governments.
“Over N98bn was disbursed in 2025 through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund to strengthen primary healthcare delivery across Nigeria, marking one of the largest single-year investments in grassroots health services in recent times,” Salako said.
According to him, health insurance coverage has expanded from about five per cent to more than 11 per cent, representing over 21 million Nigerians enrolled across different platforms.
The minister also said government efforts to expand tertiary healthcare facilities and attract private investment in specialised medical services were helping reduce medical tourism.
“Spending on medical tourism has dropped by 52 per cent since 2023 as a result of these efforts, citing data from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Salako said Nigeria was also strengthening its healthcare value chain and regulatory systems, noting that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control had attained the World Health Organisation’s Maturity Level 3 status.
He said progress was also being recorded in other sectors such as education, agriculture, housing, aviation, and power.
“Nigeria under the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government, with the support of citizens, is on a clear path towards economic recovery and prosperity. Some may misunderstand and even abuse the President for now. Like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, many will thank him tomorrow.”
Salako urged Nigerians to sustain their support for the administration’s reforms, noting that institutions such as the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation had a role in objectively analysing government policies and informing the public.
“We need all hands on deck to sustain and consolidate these gains so that they translate into better living conditions for the ordinary Nigerian,” he said.