Posted on: 02:02 Fri, 01 Jan 2016



Welcome to the beginning of a New
Year of the continuation of CHANGE in
our beloved nation.

I am aware that Nigerians have
experienced a number of significant
hardships over the past months.
Living in the State House has not
alienated me from your daily
sufferings. I am aware of the lengthy
queues at fuel stations and of the
difficulties businesses have faced in
acquiring foreign exchange.

These challenges are only temporary;
we are working to make things
better. When I presented myself to
you as a presidential candidate and
asked you to vote for me, I wanted to
be a leader who keeps his promises.

I wanted to be a leader who restores
the people’s hope in those elected to
serve them. I wanted to be a leader
who initiates positive and enduring
CHANGE.

I am still totally committed to being
that kind of leader. Unforeseen
circumstances and other distractions
notwithstanding, I shall still do my
utmost best to keep every promise I
made to Nigerians during my
election campaign.

In the past seven months since our
inauguration on May 29, 2015, my
administration has focused on laying
the right foundation for the CHANGE
you voted for during our historic
presidential election. Nigerians will
in due course begin to enjoy the
fruits of all our ongoing work.

The effective and efficient
implementation of our 2016 budget
proposals will address many of the
socio-economic issues that are of
current concern to our people. One
area in which Nigerians, especially
those in the northeast, have already
begun to experience major CHANGE
is in the war on terror.

I commend our Armed Forces for
significantly curtailing the
insurgency which has ravaged the
northeast of Nigeria over the past
few years.

However, there is still a lot of work
to be done in the area of security.
Our Armed Forces will maintain,
consolidate and build on their
successes in the war against Boko
Haram and violent extremism.

This government will not consider
the matter concluded until the
terrorists have been completely
routed and normalcy restored to all
parts of the country that have been
adversely affected by the Boko
Haram insurgency.

Our crackdown on corruption will
continue to be vigorously
undertaken. I urge the courts to
support our efforts and help in the
recovery of stolen funds by speedily
concluding trials and showing that
impunity no longer has a place in
our country.

There is much work to do in other
areas as well and I have charged all
my ministers and other appointees
to ensure that Nigerians experience
positive changes in their lives in
2016. We must reduce our country’s
reliance on oil. We must diversify
our economy.

And we must do all we can to
promote job creation. Our challenges
are many but our determination to
succeed is strong and unshaken. So
too is our confidence in God. I wish
you all a very

Happy New Year.
MUHAMMADU BUHARI