On July 9, 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre in Abuja, Boss Mustapha, CFR, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (2015–2023), delivered a compelling lecture titled President Muhammadu Buhari’s Contribution to National Development during the public presentation of According to the President by Garba Shehu.
The lecture, reproduced verbatim below, offers a detailed reflection on President Buhari’s leadership, his administration’s reforms, and their enduring impact on Nigeria’s developmental trajectory. Mustapha’s address highlights Buhari’s commitment to integrity, institutional stability, and long-term nation-building, providing a lens into the principles that shaped his presidency.
Below is the full text of the lecture, presented as a news report to preserve its depth and insight.
Lecture Delivered by Boss Mustapha, CFR on President Muhammadu Buhari’s Contribution to National Development at the Public Presentation of According to the President Written by Garba Shehu on July 9, 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja
1.0. Introduction
“The theme of this lecture, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Contribution to National Development, is both a reflection on leadership and an exploration of the institutions, policies, and principles that defined his presidency,” Mustapha began. “While we are gathered to present Garba Shehu’s According to the President, this lecture does not adopt the book’s title but rather complements it by situating the administration’s advancement agenda within the broader architecture of governance and reform.”
Mustapha recounted a pivotal moment from the 2015 Buhari presidential campaign, where Garba Shehu’s appointment as Director of Media and Publicity was decided. “It was at that meeting that Garba Shehu’s name was tabled as a prospective Director of Media and Publicity. The decision was based on merit,” he said, noting Shehu’s reputation in political communication and editorial leadership. Shehu’s transition to Presidential Media Adviser ensured “continuity of message and fidelity to the original orientation of the presidency.”
Mustapha emphasized Buhari’s unique connection with Nigerians, built on “earned social trust rather than political expediency.” He noted, “His reputation for integrity, discipline, and national commitment earned him lasting support, especially in the northern parts of the country and later, the South.”
His reputation for integrity, discipline, and national commitment earned him lasting support, especially in the northern parts of the country and later, the South
This trust enabled the administration to pursue challenging reforms in security and the economy with significant public backing. The lecture was structured into three parts: an introduction, a reflection on Buhari’s evolutionary and exemplary leadership, his legacy from 2015 to 2023, and a conclusion.
2.0. President Buhari’s Contribution to National Development
A Reflection of Evolutionary and Exemplary Leadership Mustapha traced Buhari’s career, from his military service to his roles as Military Governor, Federal Commissioner for Petroleum, and Executive Chairman of the Petroleum Special Trust Fund (PTF).
This coalition led to the historic defeat of an incumbent ruling party in 2015
“Between 1976 and 1978, he established the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), initiated key pipeline and depot infrastructure, and approved contracts for the Kaduna and Warri refineries,” Mustapha said, highlighting Buhari’s foundational contributions to Nigeria’s oil sector.
As President, Buhari’s reforms included the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021 and gas infrastructure projects like the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano pipeline. Mustapha also noted Buhari’s role in forming the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating, “His endorsement and participation… lent credibility and direction to the merger, helping to unify disparate party factions.”
This coalition led to the historic defeat of an incumbent ruling party in 2015. Addressing Buhari’s medical leaves, Mustapha said, “Rather than disrupt governance, he allowed the constitutional order to function as intended, delegating authority to the Vice President… It was leadership by structure.”
As Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mustapha observed, “This role offered direct exposure to the administration’s internal logic, inter-ministerial coordination, and institutional reforms.” The lecture aimed to reflect on the administration’s governance approach, reform logic, and long-term intent.
2.1. President Buhari’s Legacy (May 2015 – May 2023)
Mustapha outlined the challenges Buhari faced in 2015: collapsing oil prices, declining revenues, and the Boko Haram insurgency. The administration responded with the Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP 2017–2020), which boosted investor confidence. The National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) aimed to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030. Infrastructure was a cornerstone, with projects like the Second Niger Bridge and Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.
By late 2022, over 3,800 km of new roads were constructed, complemented by 2,499 km of Sukuk-funded highways
“By late 2022, over 3,800 km of new roads were constructed, complemented by 2,499 km of Sukuk-funded highways,” Mustapha noted. In energy, the Zungeru Hydroelectric Plant and constitutional amendments for state electricity generation marked significant progress. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mustapha chaired the Presidential Task Force, which expanded testing infrastructure and supported vulnerable households.
“The national strategy has since been recognised as a model for effective, whole-of-government pandemic response,” he said. The National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) provided school meals for 10 million pupils and cash transfers to 1.6 million households. Agriculture thrived under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, with over 4.8 million farmers supported, and rice mills increasing from under 10 to over 60 by 2022. Institutional reforms included the Petroleum Industry Act, CAMA 2020, and Executive Orders for performance contracting.
The digital economy expanded with broadband coverage and NIN–SIM integration. Military modernization peaked with a $1 billion intervention fund in 2018, while education reforms revitalized UBEC funding and established new institutions. In foreign policy, Buhari’s leadership elevated Nigeria’s global standing, with key appointments like Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as WTO Director-General and Nigeria’s signing of the AfCFTA agreement.
3.0. Conclusion
“President Muhammadu Buhari was not drawn to the theatre of power, but to its quiet burden of responsibility,” Mustapha concluded. “He governed with duty over drama, conviction over applause.” He praised Buhari’s focus on enduring systems, noting, “He led with a sense of time greater than his tenure, knowing that national progress is… a relay across generations.” Mustapha highlighted the continuity of Buhari’s reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly in electricity federalism and local government autonomy.
He led with a sense of time greater than his tenure, knowing that national progress is… a relay across generations
“The book According to the President offers us not a portrait of power, but a vantage point into how a man… bore it with measured intent,” he said, urging Nigerians to recommit to a shared future. “I thank you all for listening. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Mustapha concluded.