President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has challenged Nigerians who question the achievements of his administration, saying the roads being constructed, investments in human capital and efforts to grow the economy are visible indicators of progress under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The President, in a remark that has attracted attention, said those who were unable to see the government's efforts would be provided with “eye glasses.”
“If they don’t see the roads we are building, the children we are raising and the economy we are growing, we will give them eye glasses,” Tinubu said.
Tinubu's comment comes against the backdrop of his administration's emphasis on infrastructure as a foundation for economic development.
In June 2026, the Presidency said the administration was prioritising infrastructure under the Renewed Hope Agenda, describing roads as critical to commerce, mobility and productivity. The government also said numerous road projects were ongoing across the country.
The administration has highlighted projects including the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway, Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Abuja-Lokoja-Benin Road, Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and other major road corridors.
The President's reference to “the children we are raising” also reflects his administration's emphasis on education, healthcare, youth development and other human-capital programmes.
In its third-anniversary report, the Presidency said the government had expanded investments in education, healthcare, digital skills, technical education, student financing and enterprise support.
Tinubu has repeatedly argued that Nigeria's young population should be treated as an asset and that investment in human capital is central to the country's long-term development.
The President also pointed to economic growth as another measure of his administration's performance.
In his May 2026 third-anniversary statement, Tinubu said his government's reforms had stabilised the economy and positioned it for stronger growth, while the Federal Government has continued to highlight improvements in macroeconomic indicators and public finances.
The government has also launched programmes aimed at translating economic growth into improved livelihoods, including NG-CARES, SOLID and HOPE programmes focused on vulnerable households, communities and human-capital development.
Tinubu's statement is likely to fuel the continuing debate over how Nigerians should measure the performance of his administration.
While the Federal Government has pointed to infrastructure projects, economic indicators and social programmes as evidence of progress, critics have continued to focus on the cost-of-living pressures and the extent to which reported macroeconomic improvements are translating into better living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.
The President has nonetheless maintained that the reforms and investments undertaken by his administration are laying the foundation for long-term economic transformation.
His “eye glasses” remark therefore adds a lighter tone to a broader political argument: whether the changes being reported by government are sufficiently visible and meaningful in the daily lives of Nigerians.
As the country moves closer to the 2027 general elections, the competing assessments of Tinubu's record — between government-reported achievements and citizens' lived experiences are expected to remain central to political debate.
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