Vice President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria's economy would have collapsed if President Bola Tinubu had not moved quickly with reform. He defended the administration's decisions as hard choices that could not be avoided at the time. Shettima mocked critics of the policies, saying they would already be writing long letters about a ruined economy from homes in Dubai and New York. He made the remarks at a public appearance where he stood by the record of the government he serves. His comments come as officials keep defending the reforms against complaints about rising living costs. In his view, the tough calls taken so far are the reason the economy is still standing. He offered no new figures in the remarks, only a defense of the policy direction taken so far. The statement adds his voice to the running debate between government officials and critics over the reforms.