Three Independence season messages have described the hard part as ending. The figures cited by government and labour measure different things.

On 1 October 2025, President Tinubu said the worst was over and cited growth of 4.23 per cent and inflation of 20.12 per cent. On 1 October 2026, eight unions have threatened to strike over the price of petrol.

The message has repeated. On 1 October 2024, Tinubu said Nigerians were beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. On 25 September 2026, the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, represented him at Jumat prayers at the National Mosque. Channels reported the President’s message as saying Nigeria was yet to be where it should be, and that the days of sacrifice were almost over. Abbas said Nigerians had finished making sacrifices and asked them to give the President a second chance to finish the work he has started.

The figures sit on different scales. On 15 September, the National Bureau of Statistics put headline inflation for August at 15.39 per cent. It said food prices were still rising, at a decreasing rate. Lower inflation means prices are rising more slowly. It doesn’t mean they have fallen.

The unions count in naira. Around 21 September, petrol sold for ₦1,395 to ₦1,450 in Abuja. The unions want a minimum wage of at least ₦500,000 from 2027, against ₦70,000 now.

The statements foreground different measures. The speeches cite national indicators such as growth and inflation. The unions focus on petrol prices, wages and the cost of living for workers. Other voices, including economists and state governments, are part of the same debate.

What commitments, measures and dates should accompany a statement that the sacrifice is nearly over?