SPEECH BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND NATIONAL ORIENTATION, MOHAMMED IDRIS, fnipr, AT THE EIGHTH EDITION OF THE 2025 MINISTERIAL PRESS BRIEFING SERIES, HELD AT THE NATIONAL PRESS CENTRE, RADIO HOUSE, ABUJA, ON THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2025.
Protocol.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to warmly welcome you to the eighth edition of the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing Series.
Today, we are privileged to host three distinguished members of the Federal Executive Council: the Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; the Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev; and the Honourable Minister of Works, Senator (Engr.) David Umahi.
This platform offers a unique and valuable opportunity for our invited ministers to brief the nation on the progress, priorities, and outlook of their respective ministries. It is an open and interactive session, broadcast live on national television and across major digital platforms, reinforcing our administration’s strong commitment to openness, accountability, and direct communication with citizens.
Since we began this 2025 series in February, ten ministries have taken part in this important national dialogue. Each session has enabled Nigerians both within and outside the country to gain direct and unfiltered insight into the plans and programmes of the Renewed Hope Agenda under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR).
Let me emphasize once again that the Series will continue right up to the May 29 Democracy Day celebrations, and beyond, until every Ministry has featured. This is part of our ongoing effort to deepen transparency and foster a more informed and engaged citizenry.
Today, I am pleased to announce encouraging news from the National Bureau of Statistics, which released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for April 2025, yesterday. According to the report, the headline inflation rate for April stood at 23.71%, representing a decrease of 0.52% from the 24.23% recorded in March 2025. Similarly, month-on-month, inflation dropped by a notable 2.04%, from 3.90% in March to 1.86% in April.
This has not happened by chance. The President’s focused interventions are clearly paying off. The benefits of reform, though gradual, are real and measurable.
One of the key indicators of relief is the food inflation rate. While food prices remain an important concern for many Nigerians, the year-on-year food inflation rate eased to 21.26% in April. On a month-on-month basis, it slowed to 2.06%, down from 2.18% in March. This positive movement has largely been driven by price reductions in staple items such as maize flour, wheat grain, yam flour, okro, soya beans, rice, and beans.
The major drivers of headline inflation – food and non-alcoholic beverages, restaurant and accommodation services, and transport – are being targeted through strategic government interventions in the agricultural, transportation, and service sectors. These efforts are yielding results and helping to ease pressure on household incomes.
Ladies and gentlemen, we acknowledge that we are not yet where we desire to be. But these latest figures give us every reason to be hopeful. They show that the hard decisions are beginning to bear fruit. And as inflation eases, we expect to see corresponding improvements in consumer purchasing power and living conditions.
Let me also assure you that the Federal Government will continue to sustain this tempo. Our focus remains on implementing people-centered policies that guarantee relief, restore economic stability, and ensure shared prosperity for all Nigerians.
I urge the media to continue to help disseminate this positive development responsibly and constructively, as we remain accountable to the people. Nigeria is turning a corner, and with continued support, discipline, and faith in the process, we shall all reap the dividends of these reforms.
Let me once again appreciate the media for your consistent dedication to the Ministerial Press Briefing Series. Your role in conveying government programmes and policies to the Nigerian people is both vital and commendable.
Today, as always, Nigerians will gain deeper insight into the far-reaching investments being undertaken by the Tinubu Administration in key sectors that directly impact the lives and livelihoods of our citizens. These include substantial interventions in critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges, as well as ongoing efforts to improve access to clean water and sanitation, and optimize Nigeria’s abundant water resources.
Equally important is the administration’s bold drive to harness the power of Nigerian creativity by transforming our rich cultural and creative assets into a thriving economic sector. The vision is clear: to position creativity not just as a cultural expression, but as a formidable pillar of our bright economic future.
I urge you all to sit back and relax as I invite one of our esteemed guests, the Honourable Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, to take the floor and deliver his presentation.
Thank you for your kind attention.
