Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has said Nigerians who cannot recognise the progress being made under President Bola Tinubu’s administration may need special eyeglasses, popularly described as “Jigi Bola”, to appreciate the changes taking place across the country.
She made the remark on Friday, October 23, 2026, during the inauguration of the Abuja headquarters of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, a political mobilisation group working to secure support for her husband’s anticipated re-election bid in 2027.
Speaking before supporters and political stakeholders, the First Lady defended her belief that Nigeria was making progress, pointing specifically to changes at the country’s airports and expressing optimism about the nation’s future.
According to her, improvements in airport facilities were among the developments demonstrating that things were changing under the current administration.
“I want to get to the airport. I want to travel, you know, so quickly. And you can see our airports too are changing,” she said.
She subsequently directed her attention to Nigerians who, in her view, were failing to acknowledge the country’s progress, suggesting that they might need special glasses to see the developments she was describing.
“So things are happening in Nigeria, except, you know, those who don’t see; maybe we’ll give them some, you know, Bola Tinubu eyeglasses. We are doing that, JigiBola,” she said.
The remark added a colourful political touch to her address, as she used the familiar expression to challenge perceptions that the country was not making progress under her husband’s leadership.
Her comments came amid continuing public debate over the administration’s performance, particularly its economic reforms, infrastructure development and the everyday financial pressures facing Nigerian households.
While the government and its supporters have defended the reforms as necessary for improving the country’s long-term economic prospects, many citizens continue to measure progress by its impact on food prices, transportation costs, purchasing power, employment and living standards.
The First Lady’s reference to airport improvements offered a specific example of the changes she believes Nigerians should recognise, although she did not provide figures or detailed evidence during the reported remarks to quantify those improvements.
Beyond defending the administration’s record, Oluremi Tinubu also expressed hope that the country would become a place she could comfortably enjoy after leaving the Presidential Villa.
She said she wanted to leave Aso Rock in 2031 and experience a better Nigeria in her seventies.
“I want to leave Aso Rock, in 2031, by the grace of God, and enter a Nigeria that me, as a 70-something-year-old woman will enjoy,” she said.
Her statement reflected her expectation that the country’s development would continue over the coming years, allowing Nigerians, including older citizens, to benefit from improved conditions.
The First Lady made the remarks while inaugurating the Abuja headquarters of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, which is mobilising grassroots support ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
She formally commissioned the facility and declared her support for President Tinubu’s anticipated second-term campaign, linking the inauguration to the movement’s objective of securing victory for the president at the next election.
The group is convened by Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, who serves as its grand patron. Its activities are focused on building political support for Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress ahead of the election.
The expression “Jigi Bola” has also featured in the president’s political messaging. In April 2026, Bola Tinubu used a similar eyeglasses reference while addressing supporters of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors at the State House in Abuja. He challenged those who failed to recognise what he described as his administration’s achievements to look more closely at its policies and development projects.
The phrase has therefore become part of the political language surrounding the administration’s efforts to communicate its achievements and respond to criticism.
With the 2027 general election approaching, the performance of the Tinubu administration is expected to remain a major issue in political debate. Supporters are likely to continue highlighting government initiatives and infrastructure projects, while critics will scrutinise whether the policies are delivering tangible improvements in Nigerians’ daily lives.
For the First Lady, however, the message at Friday’s event was clear: she believes Nigeria is making progress and wants more citizens to recognise the changes she says are taking place.
