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  • If the Nigerian government isn’t frustrating Nigerians one way, they’re disappointing them in another. The policies come thick and fast. Before you wrap your head around one, the next is already here and most likely worse than the last.

    2025 has seen so many policies that have us suspecting the federal government actually doesn’t like Nigerians. Here are ten of the worst policies Tinubu gifted us this year.

    Telecom price hike: Can you help me sub?

    You might have forgotten, so we’re here to remind you that Nigerians actually started the year screaming, and it wasn’t for joy. Our New Year’s present from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) was allowing telecommunication companies to increase their prices by 50%. This was announced on Monday, January 20, 2025.

    The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) basically told the government they were drowning.

    They said they desperately needed to hike prices because the cost of doing business in Nigeria had become too high. They also pointed out that their industry was the only one that had not increased prices since 2013.

    According to the telcos, it was either that the prices went up, or the whole industry would collapse. They actually asked the NCC for a 100% increase, but the NCC managed to talk them down to 50%.

    Still, this was very bad news for consumers. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) even planned a nationwide protest to fight the hike. But after meeting with the federal government, the NLC called off the plans for the protest.

    The hike is so bad, it has resulted in less internet usage for Nigerians as many have simply been priced out. In a country where less than half of the population has access to the internet, this is a big step back. If this is not a bad policy, we don’t know what is.

    Shea nut ban: The shea stupidity of it all

    On August 26, 2025, President Tinubu announced an immediate six-month ban on the exportation of shea nuts from Nigeria.

    Nigeria is the largest producer of shea nuts in the world. We produce around 40% of the world’s supply. But we don’t have enough processing plants here, so we export the shea nut and import the more expensive finished product, shea butter.

    The result is that even though we are the largest producer, we only make one per cent of the $6.5 billion global market.

    Tinubu’s concerns were very valid, but as has apparently become customary, his solution was batshit crazy. His immediate ban on exports did not magically lead to Nigeria developing the processing plants. All it did was take away the livelihood of the hundreds of thousands of Nigerians, mostly women, who made their living through shea nut harvesting.

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    Passport fees hike: If we double the price, will you double your hustle?

    On September 1, 2025, Nigerians were greeted by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) doubling the cost of the national passport. The cost of the 32-page passport, valid for five years, rose from ₦50,000 to ₦100,000. The 64-page passport, which offers a ten-year validity, was also doubled from ₦100,000 to ₦200,000.

    The fact that the cheaper option still costs more than minimum wage shows how this government’s policies keep pricing Nigerians out of basic things. It is now a luxury to have a vital means of identification.

    APIS $11.5 International flight security levy: Have you considered a road trip?

    If you manage to afford the doubled passport price and somehow get a visa, the government is waiting for you at the airport. On December 1, 2025, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) introduced a new $11.5 Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) levy.

    Aviation stakeholders were very vocal in protesting the new tax. Alex Nwuba, President of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Nigeria, described the levy as “another blow” to a sector that was already gasping for air.

    While APIS is a standard border security system globally, Nwuba pointed out a major difference: most countries actually absorb the cost themselves instead of passing the bill to the passengers.

    According to Nwuba, Nigerian travellers are already being squeezed by a mountain of fees, including:

    • 5% Value Added Tax (VAT)
    • 5% Ticket Sales Charge
    • Passenger Service Charge (PSC)
    • Security and fuel surcharges
    • Airport development levies and navigation fees

    So adding the APIS fee makes flying so expensive we may start to see reduced tourism and business travel. Kingsley Nwokeoma, President of the Association of Foreign Airlines Representatives in Nigeria, echoed this frustration, pointing out that in many cases, Nigerians are paying more in taxes and fees than the actual airfare itself.

    International flights in and out of Nigeria are already one of one of the most expensive in Africa at about $180 per ticket. And this new tax only made it worse.

    New tax reforms: Widen the tax net

    These come in the form of four new tax bills that will take effect from January 1, 2026. The four bills are the Nigeria Revenue Service Act, the Joint Revenue Board Act, the Nigeria Tax Act (NTA), and the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA).

    Tax reform was one of Tinubu’s top priorities. Only two months after he was sworn in, he set up the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms in August 2023. The committee worked on the bills for a year before presenting them to the National Assembly in October 2024. Tinubu eventually signed the bills into law in June 2025.

    The reform is meant to update Nigeria’s tax system to fit our present-day realities. That includes widening the tax net to cover informal industries that were previously difficult to tax. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) will be renamed the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and given more powers. The new laws also introduce a progressive tax system, which means the more you earn, the more you pay.

    Naturally, Nigerians are very suspicious of the new laws. It is hard to see any tangible developments this government has achieved with the resources it already has. So, it is even harder to trust they will do any better with more taxpayer money.

    But Taiwo Oyedele, the chairperson of the tax reform committee, has been on a media tour trying to reassure Nigerians. For example, he claims most Nigerians will not even pay tax because anyone making less than ₦800,000 a year is officially exempt.

    Now, the reform bills are more controversial than ever after a member of the National Assembly claimed the version given to the public is actually different from the version the lawmakers read and passed.

    Fuel 5% surcharge: Fueling our frustrations

    Just when you thought the price of fuel could not get more depressing, the government started thinking about adding a 5 per cent surcharge on every litre.

    The surcharge is technically not a new tax. It is included in the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (Amendment) Act of 2007, but it has not been enforced until now. Including it in the Nigeria Tax Administration Act of 2025 is basically the government’s attempt to bring it back to life. They claim it is necessary to raise funds for transport infrastructure and green energy projects.  

    But Nigerians understandably hate the idea of fuel getting even more expensive and have been very vocal about it. The Joint Action Front (JAF), which represents pro-worker civil society organisations, has vowed to mobilise Nigerians against the surcharge if the government tries to implement it.  

    Even the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) have said they will find it “very difficult to obey” if the tax is enforced. Billy Gillis-Harry, the National President of PETROAN, said that if the law is enforced, it could actually force their members to close down their businesses.

    The surcharge won’t automatically start on January 1 like the other four tax bills. It needs an official order from the Minister of Finance to happen. But based on how this government has been moving so far, we are already bracing ourselves for the worst.

    Tinted Glass Permits: Something for the boys

    If the Nigeria Police Force fought crime as hard as they have fought to bring back tinted glass permits, Nigeria would be a much safer place.

    Back in March 2022, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) stopped issuing these permits and told officers to stop asking for them during traffic stops. This was a response to constant complaints from motorists about police harassment and extortion.

    But by September 2023, just four months into Tinubu’s presidency, the police suddenly changed their minds and announced the permits were coming back. The NPF claims criminals use tinted windows to hide their activities, but with the government in full money-making mode, it feels more like a revenue drive.

    At ₦14,200 per vehicle, the police stand to make billions from the millions of cars on our roads. They also seem very eager to seize cars; when enforcement started in October 2025, they impounded over 200 vehicles in just a few days.

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is not having it. They’ve dragged the police to the Federal High Court in Abuja, calling the permit a violation of fundamental rights. Another lawyer, John Aikpokpo-Martins, also sued the police at a Federal High Court in Delta State.

    This has led to a confusing “start-stop” drama. In October, after a meeting with the NBA, the Police put their plans to enforce the permits on hold.

    But on Monday, December 15, 2025, the NPF suddenly announced that enforcement would resume on January 2, 2026.

    Then on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, a High Court in Delta State officially ordered the police to stop the policy across the country until the case is finished.

    The back-and-forth between the NBA and the police has been incredibly stressful and confusing for Nigerians. Right now, Nigerians do not know if they should pay for the permits or just wait. Hopefully, we get a final answer in the new year.

    Free-on-Board 4% levy: You will like local brands

    While the police are busy with tinted permits, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is fighting to bring back a 4 per cent Free-on-Board (FOB) levy on imports. This levy is a 4% tax on the FOB value of goods, which was tucked into the Nigeria Customs Service Act of 2023.

    To put it simply, the FOB value includes the cost of the item plus all the transport expenses incurred before it even arrives at a Nigerian port. Stakeholders in the import business have really been pushing back against the levy.

    Car dealers claim this levy could as much as triple the cost of clearing a single vehicle with customs. Since these huge extra costs are passed straight to the consumer, it makes imported goods like cars a luxury that only the richest Nigerians can afford.

    The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) even estimates that this levy will add ₦2.84 trillion to total import costs, which basically means higher prices for everything, deeper poverty, and less investment.

    The NCS tried to start collecting this tax at the beginning of the year, but paused after serious public backlash. However, in June 2025, the Senate hiked the Customs revenue target from ₦6.584 trillion to a whopping ₦10 trillion. With that much pressure to find money, the Service announced that the levy was coming back.

    Manufacturers and importers begged for a delay until at least December 2025 to prepare themselves for the levy. Well, the year is almost over, and it looks like we will definitely be talking about this headache again in 2026.

    New Education Curriculum: Teacher, don’t teach me nonsense

    In September 2025, the Federal Government announced a newly revised curriculum for basic and senior secondary schools.

    For a long time, people had criticised the old curriculum for being stale and out of touch with what students actually need. Because of this, the revision was initially welcome, especially since it brought History back to the classroom.

    But this government is so talented at stressing Nigerians that it took a potentially good policy and turned it into a massive headache.

    While the curriculum definitely needed an update, it is a delicate process that should not have been rushed. Unfortunately, that is exactly what the Ministry of Education did, and the result was total confusion for students, parents, schools, and exam bodies.

    In November, everyone was shocked to find out that current Senior Secondary School 3 (SS3) students would have to write exams on these new subjects for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in 2026. This is after these students had already spent the last three years of their lives studying a completely different set of subjects under the old system.

    Fortunately, the Senate has stepped in to try and stop this disaster. On December 9, 2025, Senator Sunday Karimi moved a motion to summon the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and the Head of the National Office of WAEC, Amos Dangut, to explain what was going on. Karimi warned that if nothing was done, the country would be looking at a “mass failure.”

    Supporting the motion, Senator Adams Oshiomhole said the move looked like the usual habit of Nigerian policymakers rushing to implement ideas without doing the groundwork. He pointed out that we cannot just wake up, think of an idea, and start implementing it immediately. In his words, “We should not plan in a way that will embarrass us as a nation.”

    The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, asked the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education to meet with the Minister and report back in two weeks.

    We are honestly amazed at how the federal government could badly botch a good policy and create so much stress out of something that should have earned them praises.

    The 2025 Budget is the biggest ever: Where una dey see this money?

    On Thursday, February 13, 2025, the National Assembly approved the 2025 budget.

    Initially, a ₦49.7 trillion budget was proposed. But Tinubu said he’d done the maths and based on revenue projections from government agencies, Nigeria could afford a ₦54.99 trillion budget. It is the biggest we’ve ever had and is almost double the 2024 budget of ₦27.5 trillion.

    By July, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was already warning Tinubu that he had miscalculated his revenue and needed to revise the budget. Crude oil wasn’t selling at the price the government had planned on, so we couldn’t afford our extremely large budget.

    This particular policy might be the worst one because it basically inspired a bunch of taxation policies and fee hikes that have really hurt Nigerians this year and will continue to do so in 2026.

    Let the poor breathe

    Nigeria is a poor country. That is just the fact. The majority of the population lives in multidimensional poverty. So asking for the poor to breathe is to ask for Nigerians to breathe, and for Nigeria as a country to breathe. Policies that hurt the poor hurt the majority of Nigerians and choke Nigeria as a whole.

    When Tinubu spoke those words, “let the poor breathe,” one would have thought he understood this. But 2025 has shown he doesn’t. Policies that dip the government’s hands into the pockets of a poor population and take what little they have are anti-people.

    Endless taxes, hiking consumer services, banning the source of people’s livelihoods before creating alternatives, and releasing convicted criminals while insecurity is rampant are anti-Nigerian policies. Will 2026 be any better?

    If there’s one thing we’ve learned in 2025, it’s that this government really doesn’t like Nigerians.

    Before you go, help us understand how you and other young people feel about the 2027 general elections by taking this 10-minute survey.

    Ever had a moment where Nigeria’s systems made life harder—or unexpectedly easier? We want to hear about your personal experiences that reflect how politics or public systems affect daily life in Nigeria. Share your story with us here—we’d love to hear from you!

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  • On Saturday, November 1, 2025, US President Donald Trump made a post on X, saying that if the Nigerian government failed to stop the killing of Christians by Islamic terrorists, the US military would come to Nigeria “guns-a-blazing.”

    This is not some noble rescue mission. It is a violent threat aimed at every Nigerian, regardless of religion. And honestly, we should all be worried. More importantly, we must all push back.

    In this analysis, we break down exactly why Nigerians need to take a step back to think critically about the attention we are getting from the US, how the APC-led federal government has allowed the situation to worsen through their inaction and what Nigerians can do about all of it. We spoke to public policy expert, Ebenezar Wikina, to help us make sense of it all.

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    The naughty list

    The day before his threat, on Friday, October 31, 2025, Trump officially added Nigeria to the US “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) list. Under US law, the CPC status is for countries with “particularly severe violations of religious freedom.”

    That includes things like torture, detention without charges, forced disappearances, and other serious violations of basic rights. Once a country lands on the list, the US government is supposed to consider diplomatic responses like public condemnation, cutting off certain types of aid, and economic sanctions.

    But “consider” is the key word here. Just because the US can apply sanctions does not mean it will. Trump actually put Nigeria on the same list back in 2020, but waived the sanctions. So things could play out the same way.

    Still, Trump has now said he will “immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria” if the government does not “MOVE FAST!” But what could it look like if he went through with it? 

    I sanction because I care

    Unfortunately, the Nigerian government is a shameless beggar on the global stage. We rely heavily on loans to fund local projects.

    Most of those come from international financial bodies like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank where the US holds serious influence.

    The US is the largest shareholder of the World Bank and has the largest voting share in both the IMF and World Bank. This basically means the US has effective veto power over major decisions in both institutions.

    For example, in the 1970’s the US blocked the World Bank from giving loans to Chile because they did not like the Chilean president, Salvador Allende.

    If Trump decides to ask these financial bodies to cut us off, we could be in trouble.

    The US is also one of our biggest trade partners. Just in the first half of 2025, Nigeria exported $1.34 billion worth of crude oil to them. If they stop buying what we are selling, our cash flow will take a serious hit.

    Our current cash flow problem is driving Tinubu to invent new taxes everyday. What would happen to ordinary Nigerians if we lose such an important trade partner?

    But the biggest risk is in security. And sadly, it is the most likely one. In 2022, the US sold Nigeria $997 million worth of military equipment. Then in August 2025, they approved another $346 million sale of bombs, rockets, and other military gear.

    While the US might think twice before touching trade (they need our oil as much as we need their dollars), military support is a different story. They have paused it before, and they can do it again.

    In 2014, the US blocked the sale of military helicopters to Nigeria because it accused the Nigerian military of human rights violations. According to the US, Nigerian security forces were not doing enough to prevent civilian casualties in their fights with terrorists.

    If they stop military support again, things could get very messy. Our military is already stretched thin, fighting terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers. Losing access to weapons and US support would only make a bad situation worse.

    According to Ebenezar Wikina, a public policy expert, “sanctions are never good for anyone.” He explained that it is bad for the economy and for our security. He said, “if we lose access to the weapons we need to fight terrorism, how do we win?”

    So, economic sanctions will only make life harder for ordinary Nigerians. And military sanctions will make things even more unsafe than they already are. We are struggling to see the love the US wants everyone to believe it has for Nigerians, because all their “solutions” seem to come with more harm than help.

    Who you epp

    US foreign military intervention has a long, bloody history. And we are talking about the blood of the locals. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya—try finding one country the US invaded that ended up better off.

    “Historically, US invasions have never worked,” Wikina said. “They have always had unintended outcomes. It is not an option we should even consider.”

    In 2001, the US stormed into Afghanistan to kick out the Taliban, who were unarguably the bad guys. What followed was a 20-year war that killed thousands of civilians and displaced so many people that Afghans became one of the largest refugee groups in the world.

    Over 240,000 people died. More than 71,000 of them were civilians. The UN estimates nearly 6 million Afghan refugees are scattered across the globe.

    When the US finally packed up in 2021, they left behind over a million pieces of military equipment. The Taliban picked those up, used them to crush Afghan security forces, and took back the country.

    Then there was Iraq. In 2003, the US invaded, claiming Saddam Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). By the time they left in 2011, over 200,000 Iraqi civilians had died. But the WMDs never existed. The whole thing was a lie.

    The US has shown it is willing to cook up stories to justify invasions that end in chaos and mass death.

    Which brings us to the much debated “Christian genocide” in Nigeria.

    Is there really a Christian genocide in Nigeria?

    This was the question on our minds three weeks ago, and we took a deep dive into the situation. The most accurate answer is that what is going on in Nigeria is complicated.

    The security situation is messy. Yes, there are religious fanatics who think violence is the best way to spread their beliefs. But violent extremism is not unique to Nigeria. Even the US is battling right-wing white supremacists, who are behind about 75 per cent of domestic terrorism deaths in the US.

    What makes Nigeria’s terrorism problem worse is the widespread multidimensional poverty. More than half of the population live below the poverty line. That is a lot of people with very few options.

    Islamic extremist groups—from Maitatsine in the 1970s to Boko Haram and its many splinter groups today—have always used money to lure recruits. When the terrorist group Lukarawas popped up in early 2025, they were offering ₦1 million to anyone willing to join.

    Then there is the concept of takfir. It is part of the ideology these religious terrorists follow, and it pushes them to attack Muslims who, in their eyes, are not Muslim enough. By their twisted standards, we are all targets.

    Further south, the farmer-herder clashes mostly affect Christian-majority communities. But again, it is more about economics than religion. The herders and their cattle are being pushed further south by desertification caused by climate change. In July 2025, the Ministry of Environment reported that 43 per cent of Nigeria’s land mass has already been affected by desertification.

    And the farmers are simply trying to protect their crops and livelihoods from being trampled by cattle. It is a sad situation that needs urgent government action. Nigeria needs stronger climate resilience policies and structures.

    And most importantly, when violence does happen, law enforcement must step up. Their failure to bring attackers to justice has created feelings of unfairness and suspicion. That only leads to more retaliatory violence.

    For Wikina, it does not matter. He believes the government has been “playing politics” with human lives which is what encourages debates about who is being targeted more between Christians and Muslims like it is a competition.

    “Is it muslims? Is it Christians? It doesn’t matter. It’s human beings that are being killed,” Wikina said. 

    Cherished Christians

    When Trump announced that Nigeria was being added to the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list, he claimed Nigeria had the highest number of Christians killed in the world. According to him, 3,100 out of the 4,476 Christians killed globally were Nigerians.

    He did not say where the numbers came from or what time period they covered, but it is likely from a report by the Christian advocacy group Open Doors, released on January 15, 2025. That report claimed 3,100 Nigerian Christians were killed in 2024.

    The number of Christians killed in Nigeria is not proof of a Christian genocide. What it does show is that Nigeria is a dangerous place to live—full stop. We rank 148 out of 163 countries on the World Peace Index. That is not a Christian problem. That is a Nigeria problem.

    Yes, our security situation is a mess. And yes, our government deserves serious criticism for how badly it has handled things. But we also need to ask questions about this “Christian genocide” narrative the US is pushing.

    In his social media post, Trump called Nigerian Christians “our CHERISHED Christians.”

    Western media, especially in the US, has a bias against Muslims. We can see it in how they report on and support the genocide of Palestinians by Israel.

    In our analysis, we noticed something very convenient. US Senator Ted Cruz, a loud supporter of Israel, started pushing for Nigeria to be added to the CPC list just days after Vice President Kashim Shettima told the UN General Assembly that Nigeria supports a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

    We must not fall for the idea that one life matters more than another because of religion. Nigeria has been fighting terrorism for decades. The idea that only Christian deaths deserve international outrage is not just unfair, it is dangerous.

    Where does this ranking of human lives end? If Christian lives are more valuable than Muslim lives, then what next? Is a white Christian more valuable than a black Christian?

    Arise o’ compatriots

    On October 1, 1960, Nigeria became an independent nation. Or did we?

    Between the 1950s and 1970s, a wave of African countries broke free from colonial rule. But let us not pretend; the Western imperial powers never really left. They just switched tactics.

    Only recently, several West African countries formerly colonised by France have kicked out French military forces. They are finally stepping into full sovereignty. Meanwhile, some Nigerians are entertaining the idea of taking such a huge step back.

    A foreign military coming into your country uninvited is not help. It is an invasion. It spits on the idea of independence. It makes a mockery of sovereignty. If it happens, it will prove that Nigeria is not a country. Just another colony of the Western world powers.

    Wikina told us, “The US does not have the right to invade Nigeria on this issue.”

    He believes Nigerians should speak out against it. But more importantly, he believes the president should not leave his job for the citizens to do. He said he wants to see Tinubu leading diplomatic engagements with the US to find a solution.

    “There needs to be a solution,” he said. “But invasion is not the solution.”

    It can always get worse

    So, both Muslims and Christians are dying.

    That is exactly why we need help to end all the violence.

    The US wants to take our resources.

    That is fine. I will gladly exchange them for safety.

    Everywhere the US has gone, thousands of civilians die.

    Thousands of civilians are already dying. How much worse can it get?

    That is the question many Nigerians are asking. We are tired. We are hurting. And when you have been hurting for so long, it is easy to think nothing could be worse. 

    There are so many ways a US intervention can hurt us, but how much worse can it be than what we already have here? But the truth is that it can definitely get worse. So much worse. As hard as that is to believe, it is the fact.

    See, we get it. How do you tell someone who is starving not to eat the only available meal because it might be poisoned?

    You remind them it is not the only meal.

    Democracy diet

    If we are not afraid of the devastation that could come with a US invasion, why are we so afraid of participating in our own democracy?

    Within hours of Trump’s threat, the official accounts of President Tinubu and the Nigerian Army suddenly came alive, posting updates about Nigeria’s security situation.

    That it takes a threat from a foreign power to make our government act accountably shows we have been slacking on our civic duties.

    The president of Nigeria should not be accountable to the president of the US. He should be accountable to Nigerians. And for that to happen, we need to grab our power as citizens.

    Young people across the world are doing just that. In Kenya, Peru, Morocco, Nepal, young people have taken to the streets to hold their governments to account. And they are facing resistance—violent resistance—but they are still showing up. Because really, how much worse can it get?

    Our frustration should not push us to invite foreign invaders to fix our problems. It should push us to find our own solutions. By ourselves.

    How much worse can it get if you go and get your PVC?

    How much worse can it get if you actually show up on election day?

    How much worse can it get if you vote?

    How much worse can it get if you take to the streets to protest bad governance?

    It cannot be worse than what we are dealing with now, can it?

    It cannot be worse than the US carpet bombing entire cities.

    If we get serious about fixing our country ourselves—if we become active citizens—how much worse can it get?

    What can you do?

    • Do not share or repost harmful propaganda and misinformation on any platform.
    • Use whatever platform you have—including social media—to share well-researched data, facts, and figures that refute these narratives.
    • Be an active citizen. Get your PVC and vote.
    • Hold your leaders accountable. Call your representative in the National Assembly (NASS). To find the contact of the lawmaker representing your constituency at NASS, click here.
    • Stay engaged and informed. Help others do the same by sharing useful information, posts, articles, anything that helps.

    NEXT READ: Can Nigerian Youths Still Make A Stand Against The Government?

    Before you go, help us understand how you and other young people feel about the 2027 general elections by taking this 10-minute survey.

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  • Bola Ahmed Tinubu is many things — a president, a father, a husband, and some might even say a political mastermind — but one thing the President has decided to never be is a loser. Politics in Nigeria is a dog-eat-dog game, and Tinubu’s dog will likely eat the fattest bone in the upcoming presidential elections. 

    Asiwaju – A Leader and Pioneer

    If the 2027 elections unfold in the current president’s favour, it won’t necessarily be because he is the people’s choice; it would be because Tinubu has decided to take his Asiwaju alias literally by laying his cards on the table quicker than any opposition, even when the law says otherwise. 

    Entitlement has never been a strange concept to President Tinubu. During the 2023 elections, he quickly established his “by fire, by force” intentions of becoming president, drilling the abhorred “Emilokan” slogan in the minds of over 200 million citizens. Now in 2025, the president and his supporters have found new loopholes to establish his intention to ride on this wave of entitlement-driven presidential ambition, two years before the next elections. With Emilokan billboards and vehicles plastered across the country, it is becoming clearer that the law is a suggestion to the president. 

    How we got here

    As far back as April 2025, Nigerians started spotting President Tinubu’s campaign billboards across the country. 

    Dailytrust: Airport road, Abuja

    After questions regarding the legality of these early campaigns were raised, the president quickly cleared his name by claiming that he had nothing to do with them and urged the people responsible for the wide circulation of these campaign materials to stop. 

    We respected the President’s cute attempt at respecting the law, but we wish we could say the same for these “supporters.” Ten days after the announcement, these “supporters” decided to flood the streets of Abuja with more pictures of the president, urging other citizens to hop on the Emilokan 2027 train.

    Source: Premium Times

    The campaign has only gotten more intense and has expanded across more Nigerian states since then. 

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    What does the law say about this?

    The Electoral Act 2022 clearly states that political campaigns are only allowed to start 150 days before the election and must stop 24 hours before election day. Anything outside that window is considered illegal. Before the 2022 Act, we had the Electoral Act 2010, which was much stricter and only allowed campaigns to kick off 60 days before the election.

    Senior lawyers and political commentators have condemned these early campaigns, saying they undermine democracy and promote electoral indiscipline. 

    In August 2025, Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), called out this bad behaviour, describing the early political campaigns as “totally illegal, diversionary, and a breach of the Electoral Act, 2022.”

    He went even further by dragging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for letting it slide. “It’s not time yet to campaign,” he said. “I do hope INEC would draw the attention of politicians, including those in government, to relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.”

    Are INEC’s hands tied, or are they just indulging lawlessness? 

    INEC itself has warned politicians to respect the law. In a statement by Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, the commission clarified that campaigns will not be allowed until electoral timetables are released. But as history has proven, words without actions mean nothing in Nigeria. Unfortunately, the law doesn’t give INEC much freedom to impose sanctions on these offenders. 

    While there are minor penalties (like fines) for campaigning within 24 hours of voting, there are no consequences for politicians who start campaigning two or even three years early. So, the law is, in fact, more of a suggestion than anything else. 

    If he wanted to, he would…

    Yes, the president has addressed his “supporters” and asked them to stop shoving his political ambition down our throats, but there’s so much more he could do if he wanted to. 

    Nigeria has had three electoral reform processes since 1999. While the responsibility has been mainly on the National Assembly, INEC has had the opportunity to participate in the process since 2002.

    Even sitting presidents like the late Yar’Adua have participated in the process. There’s quite literally nothing that’s stopping President Tinubu from setting up an electoral reform committee to investigate and put a permanent stop to these early campaigns. And if he wants to take things a notch further, he can initiate another electoral reform.

    Even INEC, with its little damsel in distress act, isn’t as helpless as it portrays itself to be in this situation. If it wanted to ban early campaigning, it could submit a legal review proposal to the National Assembly.

    You snooze, you lose…

    It’s President Tinubu’s world; the other 2027 presidential candidates are just living in it. You might think of these early campaigns as just another item on the “anyhowness” list we seem to have normalised in Nigeria, but it puts real, people-driven political ambitions at risk and defeats the purpose of democracy. 

    The 2022 Electoral Act defines how much money is too much to spend on campaigns. The spending limits, according to Section 88, for presidential candidates are ₦5 billion, ₦1 billion for governorship candidates, ₦100 million and ₦70 million for the Senate representatives, and ₦30 million for State Assembly seats.

    But here’s the part that might make you lose some sleep tonight — the spending limit can only be tracked within the 150-day campaign timeframe set by INEC. Politicians are not legally obligated to report anything spent on campaigns before then

    Section 88 (9) basically says that if a candidate knowingly breaks this rule, they’ve committed an offence. If convicted, they could be fined 1% of the maximum campaign spending limit allowed under the law, jailed for up to 12 months, or face both penalties. But this law can hardly be used to convict the politicians participating in these early campaigns since INEC itself has informed Nigerians that it can’t promise that it would be possible to track the expenses recorded before campaigns legally kick off.

    What this means is that politicians whose campaigns have already kicked off get to enjoy the best of both worlds — more money on electoral campaigns without any form of accountability and more advantage over the presidential candidates who have chosen to be law-abiding citizens by following the law’s spending limit. 

    Democracy or Demo-crazy?

    As of now, President Tinubu still hasn’t declared his political ambition for 2027, but that hasn’t stopped his mouthpieces from speaking for him. Take Yahaya Bello, ex-governor of Kogi state and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s regular customer, for example. 

    On Saturday, October 18, he declared boldly that there was no need for President Tinubu to campaign in Kogi state because “There is no opposition in Kogi State. Those who are making noise somewhere have not seen the lion. When the lion roars, they will run with their tails.” We’ve also had other politicians like Nyesom Wike, Ayodele Fayose and Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, declare their support for the president’s reelection ambitions. 

    We can mention a million and one ways that statements like this threaten democracy, but we’ll focus on how political analysts have continually condemned what appears to be the promotion of a one-party system by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The party has denied those claims in the past, but statements like “there’s no opposition” make one wonder just how reliable the denial is. 

    Presently, the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), currently has only eight governors left in the country despite ending the 2023 elections with 11 governors. The Labour Party has only one governor, Alex Otti of Abia state, and there have been rumours of a possible defection attempt from him as well.  

    What does this mean for Nigerians?

    As light-hearted as this may seem right now, actions have consequences. As Abdullahi Abdul Zuru, Chair of INEC’s Electoral Institute, put it, early campaigning increases the cost of politics, distracts officials from actual governance, and makes ordinary Nigerians more paranoid about the state of democracy. 

    Since politicians like Yahaya Bello have declared that there is “no opposition,” it is now up to you to stand with the other 200+ million Nigerians to oppose every threat to democracy. If President Tinubu and his crew are prepared for the 2027 elections, you should be prepared too. INEC has officially kicked off its online pre-registration, and you can find everything you need to know here. 

    What can you do about it?

    Lawlessness thrives when we’re all ignorant about the facts and silent about injustice. If you’ve read this article up to this point, you’re no longer ignorant. To educate other Nigerians, we’ll need you to spread the word by sharing this article on your preferred platform. 

    After that’s done, here are the next steps we recommend: 

    • Call for accountability on social media and tag INEC, and the politicians behind these law-bending activities. 
    • Send emails to iccc@inec.gov.ng with pictures of any campaign activities you come across, add the specific location and demand that they take immediate action.
    • Use your voice. Make videos educating other Nigerians on the dangers of early campaigns and get the good word out there.
    • Consider setting up petitions addressed to the president and the National Assembly, urging them to review our current electoral laws and eliminate legal loopholes.
    • Subscribe to newsletters like The Big Daily to get daily political updates and stay educated on topics like this.

    You can also help Zikoko Citizen predict youth attitudes toward the 2027 elections by taking this 10-minute survey.

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  • With just over three months left in the year, some of us are already looking ahead to 2026. New year, new us—and thanks to Tinubu, new tax laws too.

    There has been plenty of talk about the tax reforms Tinubu signed into law on June 26, 2025, which will come into effect from January 1, 2026. But what do they really mean? Will we pay less tax? More tax? How much exactly? And what about our crypto wallets?

    Death and Tinubu’s Taxes

    Back in 1789, Benjamin Franklin said, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Tinubu seems to agree. His famous “let’s widen the tax net” speech made clear from the start that taxation would be central to his presidency.

     Barely two months after his swearing-in, Tinubu set up the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms in August 2023. The committee, led by Taiwo Oyedele (former Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader at PwC), was tasked with restructuring Nigeria’s tax system.

    A year later, in October 2024, the committee presented four tax bills to the National Assembly. The National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Vice President Shettima, advised that the bills be withdrawn for further consultation. But Tinubu said no.

    By June 2025, the National Assembly had passed the bills, and Tinubu signed them into law on June 26.

    But are the tax reforms actually a good thing?

    We spoke to Financial Education Instructor, Kalu Aja, to hear what an expert thinks.

    According to him, Nigeria’s tax laws have been overdue for an update. “The current tax laws are outdated,” he said.

    He explained that the new laws encourage people to invest in health insurance and retirement savings, which is a positive step. They also widen the tax net and could help increase Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio which is a sign of a healthier economy.

    The Four Horsemen of the Taxpocalypse

    So, what are these four tax reform bills?

    The government is not just trying to raise or lower taxes. It wants to simplify the whole process, for itself and for us.

    In 2023, Oyedele had recommended reducing the more than 200 overlapping taxes Nigerian businesses faced to just ten. The new laws are meant to make things easier to understand.

    The four bills are:

    • Nigeria Revenue Service Act
    • Joint Revenue Board Act
    • Nigeria Tax Act (NTA)
    • Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA)

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    The tax collector got a power boost

    The Nigeria Revenue Service Act changes the name of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS). The idea is to show that the service collects money for the whole Federation, not just the Federal Government.

    The act also gives the service more powers. For example, it no longer needs to rely on law enforcement to carry out investigations. So yes, the FIRS got a new name and a bit more muscle.

    What if I fight with my tax collector?

    The Joint Revenue Board Act is meant to improve coordination between federal, state, and local governments. It sets up:

    • The Joint Revenue Board
    • The Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT) – to handle disputes.
    • The Office of the Tax Ombud – to investigate taxpayer complaints.

    So if you have a tax problem, this law tells you where to go.

    One Tax Law to Rule Them All

    The Nigeria Tax Act (NTA) creates a single legal framework for taxation. It replaces many older laws and puts everything in one document.

    It also sets tax rates for individuals based on income, ranging from 0% to 25% depending on income.

    Pay your tax or else…

    The Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA) sets common rules for how taxes are collected. It makes tax registration mandatory for anyone earning income, introduces universal Tax Identification Number (TIN), and grants authorities more power, including the ability to seize assets from defaulters.

    Taxes kwa? How much am I making?

    The new laws apply to both individuals and businesses. Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (annual turnovers below ₦50 million and assets under ₦250 million) are exempt. So if you are a big-time CEO, maybe stop reading Zikoko and call your tax lawyer.

    For individuals, the tax rates are as follows:

    • 0% for the first ₦800,000
    • 15% for the next ₦2,200,000
    • 18% for the next ₦9,000,000
    • 21% for the next ₦13,000,000
    • 23% for the next ₦25,000,000
    • 25% for everything above ₦50,000,000

    But will we be paying more tax?

    According to Financial Education Instructor, Kalu Aja, the answer is, “It depends.”

    Under the new tax laws, the more you spend on things like insurance and pension contributions, the less tax you pay.

    “From my calculations, if you choose not to buy any insurance or pension plan, you will pay more under the new law if you earn ₦19 million or more a year,” he said.

    So, for higher earners, skipping those deductions could mean handing more money over to the tax man.

    Old versus New

    The government has been advertising the new tax laws as being favourable to lower income earners. The 20 per cent rent relief and people earning less than ₦800,000 will pay no tax strengthen their case.

    The government even has a calculator you can use to compare your tax under the old and new laws.

    Here is an example we have created:

    John earns ₦100,000 per month, which is ₦1,200,000 per year. He spends a third of his income on rent, which is ₦400,000. His 20 per cent rent relief is ₦80,000.

    Apart from the rent relief, the new law allows for the following deductions:

    • Contributions under the National Housing Fund (NHF)
    • Contributions under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)
    • Contributions under the Pension Reform Act
    • Interest on loans for developing an owner-occupied residential house
    • Premium of life insurance for the person or their spouse

    The NHF contribution is 2.5 per cent of annual income. For John, that is ₦30,000 per month. The NHIS contribution is 10 per cent of income, which is ₦120,000 for John. The Pension Reform Act of 2014 mandates an 8 per cent contribution, which is ₦96,000 for John. If John is not developing a house, he has a life insurance premium of ₦100,000 per year.

    That brings his total deductions to ₦426,000. So his taxable income remains ₦774,000. This is under ₦800,000, so John pays no tax.

    According to the calculator, he would have paid ₦41,152 annual tax under the old law.

    It is easy to see these deductions driving growth in the insurance and pensions industries.

    What is the catch?

    But widening the tax net means more people must now comply. Informal businesses, traders, and freelancers will need the TINs.

    Every bank credit alert could be scrutinised. If your uncle sends you money, you will need proof that it is a gift, not a business income. 

    Digital assets such as crypto and NFTs are also now taxable. If you make money from selling them, you owe tax.

    Should I be worried?

    So earlier, we said the reforms are meant to make things easier for everyone to understand. While that is mostly true, there are still a lot of moving parts.

    For instance, the impact of the new taxes on businesses may not be felt until the laws come into effect next year. When they do, they might pass the cost on to customers. If you do not pay tax directly, you might pay more at the counter.

    Also, the law revives a very controversial five per cent surcharge on fossil fuels, which analysts fear could further worsen inflation.

    Kalu Aja told us, “Taxes do not make goods cheaper or more expensive.”

    According to him, when the government collects taxes from businesses, it is expected to reinvest that money into improving the ease of doing business—things like energy, security, and transport infrastructure.

    But when the government takes those taxes and fails to invest, it ends up hurting the businesses. “They pay a double tax,” he said, “the formal tax to the government, then an informal tax in the form of losses caused by bad roads and insecurity.”

    So, whether the new tax laws lead to higher prices depends on one key thing: “how well the government spends the money to boost productivity across Nigeria.”

    What I ordered versus what I got

    Nigeria’s challenge has never been collecting taxes; it is how the taxes are used.

    Countries like South Korea (tax rates 6–45%) and Canada  (14.5–33%) use similar progressive systems, but they deliver reliable healthcare, safer transport, and better infrastructure. But here is the difference—South Korea and Canada rank second and fourth globally for the quality of their healthcare systems. Nigeria sits at 84th out of 110 countries.

    Our healthcare system is underfunded. Doctors and nurses are leaving in record numbers, and those who stay are overworked, underpaid, and prone to strikes.

    Transport is not much better. Nigeria’s system is not only inefficient but unsafe. We have reported that both rail and boat travel are prone to accidents. Our roads are just as dangerous. Nigeria records around 21.1 road accident deaths per 100,000 people each year. Compare that to Canada’s 5.6 and South Korea’s 9.4. The global average is 16.8.

    We also have fewer roadways and railways per person than both countries, which shows how weak our transport infrastructure really is.

    And then there is security. Nigeria faces ongoing threats from terrorist groups, kidnappers, and bandits. We rank 148 out of 163 countries on the World Peace Index. Meanwhile, the Chief of Defence Staff has advised citizens to learn karate for self-defence.

    So let us recap: poor healthcare, unsafe and unreliable transport, and we are one of the most dangerous places to live in the world.

    What exactly has the government been doing with the taxes it has collected all this time? And more importantly, what will change with the new ones?

    This new tax will favour me and my family

    Ultimately, the goal of taxation is to raise revenue that the government can use to improve everyone’s living standards. Unfortunately, the Nigerian government does not inspire confidence in that regard.

    The Tinubu administration scrapped fuel subsidies but has yet to show where the savings went. The World Bank reported that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) remits only half of the subsidy savings.

    Worse, the government has stopped publishing quarterly budget reports, despite being legally required.  A government that has not earned public trust is now demanding more from taxpayers.

    Franklin was right: taxes are inevitable. But so is the demand for accountability.

    What we can do is choose better leaders and be more active in holding them accountable.

    Further Reading

    I hate to give homework, but this time it might be worth it. The new laws expect more effort from taxpayers.

    Make sure you have your TIN if you are a “taxable person.” Keep records of all money you receive. Know what deductions you can claim. And keep proof of any money that should not count as income. Yes, I mean those shameless begging screenshots.

    Taiwo Oyedele, chair of the Tax Reforms Committee, has shared FAQs on X. Kalu Aja’s explanation includes useful scenarios to clarify how the taxes will work for individuals, businesses and digital assets.  You can also access the Nigeria Tax Act and the Tax Administration Act online here and here, respectively.

    Talk to us here. If you have had any experience when Nigeria’s systems made life harder or unexpectedly easier, we want to hear about it.

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  • Between 20 and 22 August 2025, Japan hosted the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama. Japan has been organising this conference since 1993, alongside the UN, World Bank, and African Union, to strengthen ties with Africa and promote development.

    Nigeria’s participation at the event was not exactly inspiring. Despite President Tinubu arriving early on 18 August, Nigeria’s booth was left completely unmanned on the opening day. Two Nigerians attending the event had to step in and represent the country, calling out the government in the process. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs later claimed they planned to “inaugurate” the booth on 21 August.

    These booths are not just for show. They are key platforms for attracting foreign investment and showcasing economic potential. Ahead of the conference, the Japanese Finance Ministry pointed out that Japanese investors have a very risk-averse attitude towards Africa. For context, just  0.5 per cent of Japan’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in 2024 went to Africa.

    So, the booths offered an invaluable opportunity for each country’s representatives to answer questions from potential investors and hopefully ease whatever concerns they may have. Nigeria needed to make a strong impression. Instead, it stumbled out of the gate.

    A Japanese Hometown for Nigerians

    On day two of the conference, Japan made a surprising announcement: the city of Kisarazu has been designated as the official “hometown” for Nigerians who want to live and work in the country.

    Nigeria was not the only African country to receive this gesture. Japan also named the cities of Nagai in Yamagata Prefecture the hometown of Tanzania, Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture the hometown of Ghana, and Imabari in Ehime Prefecture the hometown of Mozambique.

    Sounds generous, right? But let us look closer.

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    Africa: your sure plug for labour shortages

    Japan is not rolling out the red carpet to welcome Nigerians and other Africans out of goodwill. It is facing a severe labour crisis. With the oldest population in the world, 14 per cent of Japan’s workforce is made up of senior citizens.

    Japan is also experiencing declining birth rates, and fewer births mean fewer future workers to replace the ageing ones.

    Sectors like healthcare, construction, and manufacturing are struggling. For example, in the construction sector, there are about five jobs for every applicant. Japan needs workers fast. When developed countries need cheap labour for tough jobs, guess where they often look?

    Is This a Win-Win?

    Nigeria has one of the youngest populations on Earth. Half of the population is younger than 18 years.

    But Nigeria is wasting its youth. Unfortunately, approximately 57 per cent of Nigeria’s youthful population that are able to work are unemployed or underemployed.

    On paper, Japan’s offer looks like a perfect match. They need youthful workers; we have plenty, they have many jobs, we have few.

    But history tells a different story. We have seen this before. Countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada have opened their doors to skilled Nigerian professionals, only for Nigeria to suffer brain drain.

    The medical sector is a damning example. According to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, over 16,000 Nigerian doctors have left the country in the last seven years, while Nigeria suffers a devastating shortage of medical professionals. Currently, there is only one doctor for every 10,000 patients in Nigeria. 

    And now, some of these countries are tightening migration rules and making it harder for workers to send money back home. 

    The UK, for instance,  has raised the skill threshold for migrant workers. Where A-level holders were once eligible for sponsored migration as skilled workers, a bachelor’s degree is now the minimum requirement.

    In Canada, new restrictions limit the number of migrant workers that companies can hire in low-wage jobs to just 10 per cent of their workforce.

    Meanwhile, in the United States, the recently passed “Big Beautiful Bill” includes a 3.5 per cent tax on remittances sent by migrant workers to their families in their home countries.

    So what is Nigeria really gaining here? If Japan follows the same playbook, we could lose our best talent with little to show for it.

    The Japanese Red Flags

    Let us talk about those “hometowns.” On the surface, it sounds like a warm welcome. But it also feels like segregation—a move to separate the incoming African workers from the Japanese population by neatly packing them into designated zones.

    Rather than seriously addressing it, the Japanese government has essentially refused to acknowledge the existence of racism within its borders. Yet, reports of discrimination against Black people, such as catcalls, differential treatment, and rude stares, are not uncommon in the country.

    The Japanese government has been taking steps to fill its labour gaps with foreign workers. The first notable effort was the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP), which allowed foreign workers to come to Japan for a period of up to five years.

    In 2019, Japan introduced the Specified Skilled Worker System (SSWS). This framework created a pathway for foreign workers in industries facing severe labour shortages, such as nursing, manufacturing, and construction, to earn long-term employment and residency if they passed the required skills and language tests.

    The Japanese government is now working on a new framework called the Employment for Skill Development (ESD) Program, scheduled to start in 2027. The ESD aims to increase foreign talent in Japan and ensure they stay in the country long term.

    Even with these recent policy shifts by the Japanese government to attract foreign workers, only about 2 per cent of Japan’s labour force is non-Japanese. A think-tank commissioned by the Japanese government has projected that Japan will need around 7 million foreign workers by 2040 to keep its economy afloat.

    But can Nigeria afford to send that many people abroad, especially when we are already struggling to keep key sectors running?

    Has this become a pattern?

    If you said this is becoming a pattern, you would not be completely wrong. In June 2025, Tinubu visited Saint Lucia as part of his administration’s commitment to strengthen diplomatic ties between Nigeria and Caribbean nations. That visit came with promises to export skilled Nigerian workers to the Caribbean.

    Now, this visit to Japan is likely to be followed by a mass migration of Nigerians to the Asian country. 

    Sending Nigerians abroad appears to be a deliberate policy under the current administration. In 2023, during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), President Tinubu unveiled the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), an initiative aimed at boosting Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings by positioning the country as a global hub for talent outsourcing.

    This seeming slave trader foreign policy of the Tinubu administration deserves serious scrutiny.

    A Disappointing Outing

    President Tinubu said Nigeria’s participation in TICAD 9 was meant to unlock over a billion dollars in trade and investment, drive green innovation, boost industrial growth, and create opportunities for Nigerian youth.

    At the end of the conference, the African Development Bank and Japan’s JICA signed a Memorandum of Understanding to mobilise only 5.5 billion dollars for private sector projects in Africa. How much of that money Nigeria will get remains unclear.

    What is clear is that Nigeria started the event with an empty booth and ended it with yet another plan to export its citizens—this time to Japan—where they may be worked to the bone for the benefit of a foreign economy.

    In the meantime, I suppose it is time to reinstall Duolingo and start learning Japanese. Sayōnara.

    Ever had a moment where Nigeria’s systems made life harder—or unexpectedly easier? We want to hear about your personal experiences that reflect how politics or public systems affect daily life in Nigeria. Share your story with us here—we’d love to hear from you!

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  • The Federal Government under Tinubu has not released a Quarterly Budget Implementation Report since the one for the second quarter of 2024. That was four quarters ago—a full fiscal year—since they last bothered to tell Nigerians how their money was being spent.

    What is a Quarterly Budget Implementation Report, and why does it matter?

    Every year, the government draws up a budget and presents it to the National Assembly (NASS) for approval. For example, in 2025, NASS approved a whopping N54.99 trillion. That is almost double the 2024 budget of N27.5 trillion.

    The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007, which sets the rules for government financial management, requires the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Finance, to provide reports on how the approved budget is being implemented.

    Section 30(1) of the Act says:

    “The Minister of Finance, through the Budget Office of the Federation, shall monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Annual Budget, assess the attainment of the fiscal targets and report thereon on a quarterly basis to the Fiscal Responsibility Council and the Joint Finance Committee of the National Assembly.”

    In simple terms, the Federal Government has to explain how the money NASS has allowed them to spend is actually being utilised. These reports show whether the budget goals are being met and explain any failures or changes.

    Most importantly, these reports are meant for the public.

    Section 30(2) reads:

    “The Minister of Finance shall cause the report prepared pursuant to subsection (1) of this section to be published in the mass and electronic media and on Ministry of Finance website, not later than 30 days after the end of each quarter.”

    This means the reports should be published publicly, including on the Ministry of Finance website, so every Nigerian can access them and hold the government accountable.

    Denying the public information through ineptitude?

    We visited the Ministry of Finance’s website, where the Act says the reports should be published, and it was an experience that would be funny if it was not so annoying.

    The User Interface (UI) is as predictably poor as it is disappointing. When Nigerian government websites will catch up to modern standards remains an open question.

    Clicking on the “Documents” section takes you to a page showing what look like budget folders. You might wonder why these “documents” are not clickable until you realise you are looking at an image.

    Inspecting the image shows the file name: “Screenshot-2024-07-13-170156.jpg.” Why the Federal Ministry of Finance has a screenshot from July 2024 instead of actual documents is baffling.

    Is this just incompetence, or a deliberate attempt to deny Nigerians access to information they have a right to?

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    Why does the failure to publish these reports matter?

    While the Quarterly Budget Implementation Reports are missing from the Finance Ministry website, they can be found on the Budget Office of the Federation’s website. The records there start in 2009 and stop at the second quarter of 2024.

    We have already established that these reports are a key way for the public to hold the government to account and ensure public funds are being spent as planned and approved by NASS.

    That the reports are no longer being published is especially worrying in 2025. The budget of N54.99 trillion is the biggest ever and  massive compared to previous years. In 2024, it was N27.5 trillion. In 2023, N21.83 trillion. In 2022, N13.08 trillion. And in 2021, N10.8 trillion.

    Also, this July, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the Federal Government needs to adjust the 2025 budget because it does not reflect lower oil prices, which affect how much Nigeria earns. In short, Nigeria is making far less from oil than the government had planned when writing the budget.

    Government spending has gone up dramatically, yet Nigerians have not seen a similar improvement in their quality of life. In addition to the fact that revenue is lower than expected, it becomes clear that Nigerians need to be informed about how their public wealth is being used.

    The Federal Government’s decision to abandon its legal duty to publish these reports is disturbing and demands urgent action.

    What can you do about this?

    • Use whatever platform you have, including social media, to demand accountability from the government.
    • Start an online petition to push for the release of the quarterly reports. Platforms like this one are pretty easy to navigate.
    • Call your representative in the National Assembly (NASS). The Fiscal Responsibility Act makes the Ministry of Finance accountable to the Finance Committee of NASS. So NASS must be pressured to do its job and call the Federal Government to order. To find the contact of the lawmaker representing your constituency at NASS, click here.
    • Share this article to raise awareness about the issue.

    Ever had a moment where Nigeria’s systems made life harder—or unexpectedly easier? We want to hear about your personal experiences that reflect how politics or public systems affect daily life in Nigeria. Share your story with us here—we’d love to hear from you!

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  • Dismissed Minister of Women Affairs and new Minister of Women Affairs

    On Wednesday, October 23, President Tinubu fired five ministers from his cabinet, including the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy. Her dismissal caused mixed reactions, with some Nigerian women vouching for her competence and others reading her for filth. But Nigerian women want answers to the real question: “Who is the new Minister of Women Affairs?”

    Who is the new Minister of Women Affairs?

    The President hasn’t publicly acknowledged why he had to let Uju go but has nominated Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim to replace her. Imaan is currently the Minister of State for Police Affairs but will resume Uju’s position as Minister of Woman Affairs and Social Development upon her handover. 

    Before becoming the Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan was the director-general of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). But, she was removed from this position just five months later after former President Buhari faced accusations of nominating her, even though she was considered unqualified according to the agency’s law

    Following Imaan’s nomination as the new Women’s Affairs minister on October 23, Wemimo Adewuni, a media personality, raised concerns about her integrity because the nominated Minister of Women Affairs was one of the political figures who advised Nigerian youths against joining the #EndBadGovernanceProtest. 

    Even though it is too soon to tell whether Imaan will have the best interest of Nigerian women at heart while she serves as minister, there’s still a need to question her competence in this role. 

    Why does it matter?

    Nigeria is still far from achieving gender equality. 43.4% of women aged 20–24 were married before turning 18. The adolescent birth rate is 106 per 1,000 women aged 15-19, a disturbing increase from 120 per 1,000 in 2015.  In 2018, 13.2% of women aged 15-49 reported experiencing physical or sexual violence from a current or former partner in the past year. Document Women’s recent data shows that Nigeria has a femicide problem that’s on a dangerous rise. One woman in power cannot solve all these problems, but having the right woman for the job is a start.

  • Since the explosion of a  Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered car in Edo state on Thursday, October 17, Nigerians have been asking questions about the safety of CNG in Nigeria. 

    These safety concerns didn’t start yesterday either; they’ve been around since August when President Tinubu launched his CNG initiative to give Nigerians access to a cheaper and cleaner means of transportation. 

    If there’s anything that sounds like safety to a Nigerian, it’s definitely not the idea of keeping a cylinder in the boot of their car. Because of this, President Tinubu’s effort to encourage Nigerians to convert their cars to CNG-powered cars has been met with criticisms and theories that keeping CNG cylinders in the boot is a love letter to death. 

    The CNG car explosion in Edo was the “I told you so” moment the spreaders of these theories have been waiting for but the real question remains – “Is President Tinubu’s CNG initiative a safe option for Nigerians or a death trap?   We asked an expert to give us the facts

    What does CNG mean? 

    There’s a high chance you’ve seen a cylinder in a Nigerian driver’s boot recently. These cylinders contain Compressed Natural Gas which is the alternative President Tinubu is proposing to replace petrol in Nigeria. CNG can power cars and generate electricity. 

    Is CNG safe in Nigeria?

    You might find this hard to believe if you’ve seen videos from the scenes of the Edo explosion but according to Mr Oluwafemi Joseph who is a CNG coordinator at AUTOGIG International Resources, compressed natural gas is safer than the petrol that powers most Nigerian vehicles if properly installed. It is also less flammable than Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) which is the common gas used for cooking in Nigeria. 

    For most Nigerians, the thought of keeping the CNG cylinder at the back of their cars is the terrifying part but Joseph confirmed that the mapping process needed to determine the weight distribution of CNG for converted cars proves that the trunk is the safest place to store the CNG cylinder as long as the one being used has been confirmed to be of high-quality by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

    What caused the CNG car explosion in Edo?

    It’s normal to make a mental note to yourself to never explore the CNG option after seeing the CNG car explosion in Edo state news but experts like Joseph have confirmed to Zikoko Citizen that the explosion was an avoidable accident. According to him, the recent explosion is the risk associated with using substandard CNG cylinders and patronizing unauthorized centres. This he said, is because the substandard cylinders cannot withstand the compression of CNG and when that happens, explosions like these become unavoidable. 

    A statement from the management of the NIPCO filling station where the incident happened confirms Mr Joseph’s explanation:  “Unfortunately, the cylinder installed in the vehicle—later identified as a fake and fabricated, substandard unit not designed for CNG—exploded after filling with just around 4 SCM of gas,” a part of the statement read.

    Where do I find CNG stations in Nigeria?

    If you ever decide to convert your car to a CNG-powered car, experts recommend that you go to the centres that have been inspected and verified by the Nigerian government. You can find CNG centres close to you here. 

    CNG itself does not put you at any risk of explosion or other kinds of accident but low-quality cylinders and patronizing centres that have not been verified by the government do. So if you must use CNG at all, protect yourself by going to verified conversion centres.

  • Picture of Tinubu and Shettima

    It’s been two weeks since Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, left the country for the United Kingdom (and most recently, Paris, France) on leave. On Wednesday, Vice-President Kashim Shettima also left the country for Sweden on a work visit. Ideally, the VP is supposed to be in charge of the country while the President is away but Shettima’s absence has now left many Nigerians worried about the vacuum this has created and also puzzled about who is in charge of the country seeing as both its first and second citizens are absent.

    If you are wondering too, the answer is this – no one in particular. 

    Is it illegal for them to be absent at once?

    The quick answer to this is no, the longer answer is something along the lines of “not exactly”. While the constitution does not make it illegal for both the President and his Vice to be absent at the same time, it’s not exactly the best way to rule a country with pressing issues like Nigeria. Many have expressed these concerns before too.

    In May for instance, when Tinubu and Shettima were both out of the country, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar raised similar concerns on X where he asked – “ Who is in charge of the government at this point, or is it right to assume that we are on autopilot?”. We are asking the same thing now but like last time, there is no straight answer. Addressing questions about Tinubu and Shettima’s absence, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said that “no vacuum” had been created but that doesn’t exactly put the questions to rest.

    Will their absence create issues in the country?

    The answer is yes. While this may not happen immediately, if the absence of both men stretches longer than it should, uncertainties about who’s in charge could create strong issues especially if Nigeria is hit by a national crisis. Delays in decision-making (especially as it concerns security and national emergencies) could also lead to a crisis.

    So even though Bayo Onanuga says that “all state organs are functioning as usual,” things are also likely to easily and quickly escalate at any time. There are already a few issues that require the President’s physical presence; 

    2025 Budget

    There’s a little bit of drama happening in the National Assembly and the 2025 budget is the main character. “Isn’t it too soon to be talking about the 2025 budget” – according to the 1999 constitution, it’s actually too late to be talking about the 2025 budget. Section 11(1)(b) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007, confirms that the federal government is expected to prepare and submit the budget for the coming year to the National Assembly at least four months before the new financial year begins. This law is supposed to promote transparency in how the country’s money is used and make it easier for lawmakers to review the budget before 2025. But so far, it’s been radio silence from Aso Rock. Now here’s the gag – the 2025 budget needs the president’s signature before it can even be sent to these lawmakers. With less than three months to 2025, the budget could use present leaders who can prevent further delay.  The guys at the National Assembly, who’re tired of the delay, have given the government a two-week ultimatum to submit the budget. 

    Fuel prices

    About two weeks ago, fuel prices went crazy. In Lagos, the price of fuel is now ₦998 per litre, up from ₦855. In Abuja, it has increased to ₦1,030 per litre, up from ₦897. In response to the price hike, several Nigerians started calling out the President, who was in the UK at the time, and asking him to regulate prices quickly. The president’s response was slow but he has assigned the duty of bringing the prices down to Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris who’s currently having discussions with members of the Labour Union.  The meeting didn’t end in any resolution and given the Labour’s history with the government and President Tinubu’s physical absence, it could take a few more weeks before these prices come down. 

  • Former vice-president Atiku Abubakar and President Tinubu are in a toxic throuple. If you’re wondering who the third person in the trio is, it’s you because you’re about to find out all their dirty business. 

    In case you didn’t know Atiku and Tinubu were competitors during the 2023 presidential election but you already know how that story ends. Ever since then, Atiku has been vocal about Tinubu’s shortcomings. Some say he’s a sore loser, and others say he’s a concerned Nigerian. I say he’s a little bit of both. 

    Recently, Atiku presented a constitutional idea that you might like but Tinubu will definitely hate and he’s sent it to the National Assembly to make things legal.

    What is Atiku’s bright idea?

    Atiku is suggesting that presidents and governors should now be allowed to serve for only one term and that term should last for six years. For extra context, Nigerian leaders are currently allowed to serve for two terms with each term lasting for four years. 

    Before you go “Hope Atiku is not mad?”, you should know that what the Tinubu-led administration is proposing is worse. Lawmakers are currently trying to extend each term to six years and retain the constitutional right for a president to serve for two terms, making 12 years in total. You should also know that the bill has already passed its first reading. So as far as poisons are concerned, Atiku’s poison wins this round. 

    And there’s more

    Another thing Atiku is proposing is that the role of the president is constitutionally rotated periodically between the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria so we’ll never have to worry about a presidential candidate demanding votes like it’s a birthright. 

    He also suggested that candidates should start submitting their educational certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). If they’ve lost their certificates, they can submit an affidavit explaining their qualifications, when they got them, and where they studied. 

    This lowkey feels like a direct attack on Tinubu whose university certificate submitted to INEC could not be confirmed or disclaimed by the university he “attended”. But that didn’t matter because, under the Nigerian constitution, a presidential candidate is only required to have at least a school leaving certificate. 

    The part where it gets messy is that President Tinubu didn’t submit that either. His entire education record is very controversial – from claims of gender swaps to inconsistencies in his date of birth. According to the court, he’s educated but with small touch of false information that are being referred to as “clerical error”.

    Why should you care?

    Just this year alone, the news of constitutional amendments to extend the term of leadership to six years has surfaced twice. In Nigeria, we’ve done more with less. This is the same country where the national anthem was changed overnight. So don’t be surprised if you wake up one day to find out that they’ve successfully amended the constitution. 


    You should care because this can either catch you by surprise or you can be an active participant in the decision by making sure that young people are not left out of these conversations. And if you’re not sure how young Nigerians fit into constitutional conversations, read this.