President Bola Tinubu told executives from Deloitte Africa on Wednesday that the country's economy is moving in the right direction. The multinational firm praised his administration's financial and fiscal overhauls, according to Bayo Onanuga, the president's special adviser on information and strategy.
Tinubu received a delegation led by Deloitte Africa CEO Ruwayda Redfearn at the State House. Finance minister Taiwo Oyedele and Nigerian Revenue Service chairman Zach Adedeji joined the meeting.
The president said his reforms have steadily balanced the economy over the past three years. He pointed to positive growth indicators as proof the difficult changes are working.
"Reforms are difficult," Tinubu said. "It has not been easy, but if implemented well, they harvest good things, and that is what we are about."
He praised Deloitte for paying attention to Nigeria's progress. The president highlighted the fiscal, revenue and tax reforms that finance minister Oyedele has overseen, noting they're moving the nation forward.
Tinubu stressed that revenue reforms will continue driving growth. "Some issues are difficult to swallow, but it is working well," he said.
"For the economy, Nigeria is making serious foundational progress."
The overhauls have stimulated the economy, strengthened revenue sectors, repositioned financial institutions, and positioned Nigeria for greater global competitiveness, the president added. He challenged Deloitte Africa to deepen its impact by training and hiring young Nigerians.
Tinubu recalled his early years in accountancy, saying the firm brought back memories of his time in Chicago. "Deloitte has a good training programme, and I believe you will continue to reflect that," he told the delegation.
Finance minister Oyedele also urged the accounting firm's leadership to build youth capacity. He'd earlier spoken about the reforms and their effects on the economy.
Redfearn said Deloitte focuses on digital and business transformation with over 500,000 employees globally. The firm has more than 6,000 staff across Africa.
She noted Deloitte's 2025 revenue reached $74 billion. "We are here to say that we want to serve," Redfearn told the president.
"We have a local team ready, and our global firm stands prepared to support you and your administration as you lead the country."
Yomi Olugbenro, the firm's Africa CEO, assured Tinubu of Deloitte's backing for the government's reform agenda. He said the company operates from a philosophy of making meaningful impact across the continent.
