Nigeria, Oct. 1 -- President Tinubu took a jab at his predecessors on Thursday, saying their inaction worsened Nigeria's economic situation and led to his policies.

Mr Tinubu made the remarks on his Independence Day address to Nigerians, in which he defended the economic reforms introduced by his administration, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market.

"For too long, the promise of Nigeria was undermined by choices that postponed difficult decisions and allowed deep economic distortions to grow," the president said.

"By 2023, poverty was rising, and hope was nearly gone. The country's situation was darker than ever. We had no choice but to act."

The president said his administratio...