If We Have To Borrow, We Will, We Just Have To Work Hard To Repay – Tinubu

• Tinubu Defends Borrowing as Tool for Progress

ABUJA, NIGERIA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has defended his government’s approach to borrowing, stating that taking loans should not be viewed as a dreaded disease.

“If we have to borrow money, we will, because borrowing is not leprosy; Nigerians just have to work hard to be able to repay it,” Tinubu said.

The President made the comment while addressing concerns over the country’s mounting public debt. His remarks come as many Nigerians continue to feel the strain of economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies and floating of the naira.

According to reports, Tinubu spoke during an event linked to the new Nigeria Revenue Service headquarters. He framed borrowing as a normal governance tool that requires corresponding effort from citizens to service.

The statement has drawn mixed reactions across the country. While some see it as a call for national productivity, others view it as insensitive given the current cost-of-living crisis affecting millions of households from Lagos to Kano and Port Harcourt.

Social media platforms lit up shortly after the video circulated, with many questioning how average Nigerians, already battling inflation and unemployment, can “work hard” to repay growing debts. Critics accuse the administration of mortgaging future generations through sustained borrowing.

Nigeria’s debt situation remains a major talking point, with debt servicing taking a large chunk of federal revenues amid dwindling oil earnings and revenue challenges.

NaijaChoice News notes that the President’s position highlights the administration’s belief in borrowing for development, provided citizens increase productivity to match.

The comments underscore the widening gap between official fiscal policy and everyday realities faced by ordinary Nigerians struggling to make ends meet.

As the debate intensifies, the sustainability of Nigeria’s debt strategy and its direct impact on citizens’ welfare will likely dominate national discourse in the coming months.

VIDEO: “If we have to borrow money, we will, because borrowing is not leprosy; Nigerians just have to work hard to be able to repay it. – Tinubu says after mortgaging our future. pic.twitter.com/Evq7nJJGgz

— Rinu Oduala 🔥🔫 (@SavvyRinu) April 29, 2026