Independence to Irrelevance: How Nigeria Is Now Governed in Exile

By George Omagbemi Sylvester

When Nigeria gained independence in 1960, there was a collective sigh of relief and pride. The shackles of colonial domination were cast off, and a new dawn beckoned with promises of self-determination, prosperity, and national dignity. But over six decades later, the hope that once inspired our founding fathers now lies buried under the rubble of poor leadership, foreign dependence, and a shocking lack of direction. Today, the bitter truth is this: Nigeria is no longer governed from Abuja, but from hotel suites and foreign palaces abroad.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is currently in France on what is being described—rather vaguely—as a “working visit,” while his Vice President, Kashim Shettima, is in Senegal for another official engagement. These frequent overseas excursions have become a defining feature of their administration. Far from isolated diplomatic efforts, they now represent a disturbing pattern: the government of Nigeria is effectively run from abroad, disconnected from the people and indifferent to the nation’s crises.

Since assuming office in May 2023, President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima have embarked on nearly 50 trips to over 30 countries, spending a combined total of nearly 200 days outside Nigeria. Countries visited include France (multiple times), the United Kingdom, the United States, Saudi Arabia, India, Qatar, Kenya, South Africa, the Netherlands, and the UAE. While some of these visits were linked to multilateral conferences or investment summits, the opacity surrounding many of the trips—especially those to France and the UK—raises serious questions. Are these truly “working visits,” or are they cleverly disguised medical vacations?

Even if we concede the need for international diplomacy and outreach, the timing, frequency, and sheer disregard for domestic issues are appalling. Nigeria today is a nation in distress. From widespread insecurity—banditry, kidnappings, assassinations—to rampant unemployment, food inflation, and a collapsing naira, the country is bleeding on all fronts. In such a moment of national crisis, one would expect a president to stay grounded, to lead from the front, not from Paris or Dubai.

What is even more infuriating is the repeated justification for these junkets: “securing foreign investment.” But must we travel cap in hand to foreign lands begging for investment? What have these trips yielded in tangible economic value? Where are the factories built, the jobs created, or the capital inflows attributed directly to these travels? Apart from the Obasanjo/Atiku administration—which famously negotiated the Paris Club debt relief and expanded the telecoms and banking sectors—what legacy of foreign investment has any administration after 2007 left behind?

Tinubu’s handlers claim his economic diplomacy is strategic, but the reality on the ground says otherwise. Foreign investors are not flocking to Nigeria. In fact, they are leaving in droves. In the past year alone, major multinational firms like Procter & Gamble, GlaxoSmithKline, and Sanofi have either scaled down operations or exited Nigeria entirely. Why? The reasons are glaring: harsh business conditions, unpredictable policies, skyrocketing inflation, over-taxation, and a regulatory environment that chokes innovation.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), capital importation into Nigeria dropped by over 30% in 2023, with many investors citing insecurity, policy inconsistency, and forex instability as major deterrents. No investor wants to commit capital to a nation where there is no power, no infrastructure, and no clear plan.

Instead of chasing foreign capital abroad, why not fix the fundamentals at home? Provide power. Ensure security. Simplify taxation. Uphold the rule of law. These are the things that attract investors—not foreign handshakes and photo ops in European capitals.

Furthermore, no foreign investor will commit to a nation that cannot feed itself. Nigeria’s food crisis is spiraling out of control. Inflation on staple items has crossed 30%, and hunger now stares millions in the face. Yet, farmers cannot access their farmlands due to insecurity. What serious economic policy can ignore food security as a cornerstone of national development?

If Tinubu truly seeks to attract investment, let him start by making the country safe. Investors—local or foreign—thrive in a climate of peace and predictability. No businessman will invest in a country where kidnappers roam free, terrorists ambush highways, and the national grid collapses every other week.

It is also worth noting that Nigeria’s foreign policy has become one of aimless wandering. Where is our national interest in all these trips? What bilateral gains have we negotiated? What trade deals have been signed? What is our Africa policy? Are we leading the continent or being led? A nation of over 200 million people—Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation—should not be a diplomatic drifter without compass or credibility.

The truth is that Nigeria’s leadership under the current APC administration lacks a coherent vision. This is a government that believes in photo-ops more than policy, appearances more than substance. Leadership is not travel. Leadership is staying close to the people, understanding their pain, and crafting bold solutions that inspire hope.

But there is hope. Nigeria has not completely run out of options. One man, who played a significant role in steering Nigeria towards prosperity in the early 2000s, still stands tall with a track record that speaks louder than rhetoric. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Waziri of Adamawa, remains a voice of reason and a repository of experience.

Atiku was instrumental in the economic transformation witnessed during the Obasanjo years—privatizing inefficient public enterprises, attracting foreign investment, and securing international debt forgiveness. He understands governance. He understands economics. And more importantly, he understands the Nigerian people.

While others run from the nation’s problems, Atiku has consistently offered solutions. He has warned against excessive borrowing, called for restructuring, and emphasized the need for economic diversification. He is not a perfect man, but he is a prepared man—prepared to rescue Nigeria from the edge of the abyss.

It is time Nigerians looked beyond propaganda and tribal loyalty. We must rise and demand accountability, dignity, and real leadership. The presidency is not a retirement home or a travel agency. It is the most sacred responsibility in the land. Let us not continue in silence as our nation is governed remotely by absentee leaders more concerned with their comfort than our future.

Let us support leaders who live among us, feel our pain, and are willing to make the hard choices needed to reposition our country. Let us support Atiku Abubakar and others like him in their effort to recover, rebuild, and reimagine Nigeria. Our country deserves more than foreign pity—it deserves true leadership.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

George Omagbemi Sylvester writes from Johannesburg, South Africa.