Tinubu Meets with Atiku Bagudu, Others in Abuja Amidst Hardship

President Bola Tinubu held a meeting on Tuesday with several high-ranking officials, including Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning in the presidential villa, Abuja on Tuesday.

This marked Tinubu’s second day back at work after a two-week overseas vacation.

The meeting is perceived to be part of the president’s efforts to address the deepening economic crisis that has gripped West Africa’s largest economy.

News reported that the pump price of petrol has skyrocketed to N1300 per litre, and the Nigerian currency, the naira, has greatly weakened in value.

The latest meeting was confirmed by Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, in a brief statement but did not offer further details.

The meeting included other key players in the financial sector, such as Olasupo Olusi, CEO of the Bank of Industry (BoI), and Uzoma Nwagba, the head of CreditCorp, both of whom are instrumental in shaping Nigeria’s economic policies.

Recall that the president has held a series of meetings since returning from his vacation on Saturday, October 20. On Monday, October 21, President Tinubu met with several of his top aides and security chiefs. According to reports from ThisDay, National Security Adviser (NSA) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Christopher Musa were among the first to visit the president in his office.

Another notable figure to meet with the president was Hadiza Bala-Usman, his Special Adviser on Policy Coordination and Head of the Central Delivery Coordination Unit. Bala-Usman plays a key role in evaluating the performance of ministers and ensuring that government projects are on track.

Also present was the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake.