President Bola Tinubu has declared that Nigeria will not be shaken by the sweeping trade tariffs and policy changes introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump in his second term, insisting that his administration has built strong economic buffers to withstand external shocks.
Tinubu made the statement on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, while receiving members of The Buhari Organisation led by former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, during a solidarity visit.
The President maintained that Nigeria’s growing non-oil revenue base, agricultural reforms, and a more stable exchange rate have positioned the country to resist the adverse effects of Washington’s tariff regime.
“If non-oil revenue is growing, then we have no fear of whatever Trump is doing on the other side,” Tinubu said.
He added that Nigeria had already met its 2025 revenue targets by August, pointing to improved fiscal performance under his administration.
Tinubu also noted that the naira had stabilised around N1,450 to the U.S. dollar, strengthening from N1,900 after he introduced exchange rate unification in May 2023.
According to him, this currency stability gives Nigeria additional leverage to manage the pressures of global trade restrictions.
Since his re-election, President Trump has introduced some of the toughest trade measures in U.S. history.
In April 2025, he announced a 10 per cent baseline tariff on nearly all imports, with additional country-specific levies of between 11 and 50 per cent under his “America First” policy.
Nigeria was among the countries targeted, with a 14 per cent tariff announced in April and increased to 15 per cent in August 2025 on its exports.
The only exemption granted was for energy products such as crude oil and gas, which remain critical to global supply chains.
However, analysts warn that even with energy exemptions, Nigeria could still feel the ripple effects of U.S. trade restrictions on other economies.
Reports from international energy markets show that the tariff war has already slowed demand for crude oil, gasoline, and diesel in the first half of 2025.
Tinubu emphasised that his government’s agricultural mechanisation programme remains central to insulating Nigeria from external shocks.
“If we remove hunger, we have defeated poverty,” the President said, noting that food security was crucial to building a sustainable and independent economy.
Under his agricultural agenda, the Federal Government has rolled out farm mechanisation schemes across states, increased support for rice and maize farmers, and pledged to boost agro-processing zones to reduce Nigeria’s food import bill.
Tuesday’s meeting was not only about tariffs but also served as a political consolidation exercise for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Tinubu recalled his early debates with the late former President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2013 APC merger negotiations.
He recounted disagreements over the party’s logo, with Buhari preferring a parliament symbol while Tinubu pushed for the broom, which eventually became the emblem of the APC.
“He was so stubborn,” Tinubu joked, drawing laughter from attendees.
The meeting brought together senior party figures including Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda and former Governor Aminu Masari, signalling preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Economic analysts believe Tinubu’s confidence may be justified in part but caution that Nigeria must still tread carefully.
Dr. Sarah Adeyemi, an economist at the University of Lagos, told our correspondent that while non-oil revenue growth is encouraging, tariffs on agricultural exports and manufactured goods could weaken Nigeria’s trade balance if not properly managed.
She said, “The U.S. market, though not Nigeria’s largest, is still significant.
A 15 per cent tariff will reduce the competitiveness of Nigerian goods abroad, especially in textiles, cocoa, and solid minerals.”
Civil society organisations have also urged the government to accelerate diversification efforts, warning that overreliance on oil revenues—even with exemptions—leaves the economy vulnerable.
Despite the challenges, Tinubu reiterated his administration’s determination to maintain fiscal discipline and drive reforms that prioritise local production, food security, and industrial expansion.
“The message is clear,” said policy analyst Chukwuemeka Eze.
“Tinubu wants to project Nigeria as resilient, independent, and unshaken by global politics.
But the real test will be how households and businesses cope with the indirect costs of these tariffs in the coming months.”
With both domestic reforms and global trade uncertainties unfolding, Nigeria’s ability to balance resilience with adaptability will define its economic trajectory under Tinubu’s leadership.