society
Nigeria at the Crossroads: Structural Gains Amid Human Cost under Tinubu‑APC
Nigeria at the Crossroads: Structural Gains Amid Human Cost under Tinubu‑APC.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
Where Nigeria is Working?
1. Economic Reforms and Fiscal Discipline
One of Tinubu’s first executive actions was removing the costly fuel subsidy; a move praised by global institutions like the IMF and World Bank. The naira, previously shackled by multiple exchange rates, has now been floated, which has narrowed the black market gap and increased forex liquidity.
According to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), this move saved the country over ₦3.6 trillion within the first year. The fiscal deficit dropped from 5.4% of GDP in 2023 to 3.0% in 2024. Oil production, long battered by theft and militancy, rebounded from 1.1 million barrels per day to over 1.5 million bpd by mid-2025.
Moreover, Nigeria recently signed a $1 billion agriculture investment pact with Brazil aimed at mechanising farms, boosting exports and transforming rural economies. If implemented fully, this could shift the nation from subsistence farming to agribusiness.
“For the first time in decades, we have a president willing to take the hard path,” noted Professor Akpan Henshaw, economist at the University of Uyo. “But reform without shock absorbers is cruelty disguised as policy.”
2. Central Bank Independence and Monetary Realignment
Gone are the days of reckless monetary policy under Godwin Emefiele. Tinubu’s administration has begun restoring credibility to the CBN. Interest rates were hiked to counter inflation and excessive monetary financing of deficits has ceased. These moves have improved investor confidence, with the Nigerian Stock Exchange becoming one of the best-performing in Africa in 2024.
Also, the naira has stabilized somewhat and foreign direct investment is trickling in again, particularly in fintech and agritech.
3. Social Safety Initiatives
Despite public perception, the administration has rolled out several targeted interventions:
₦35,000 wage award to federal workers for 6 months
₦25,000 monthly cash transfers to 15 million vulnerable households
₦75 billion investment fund for manufacturing businesses
CNG-powered vehicle rollout and energy transition projects
However, most of these efforts are limited in scope and lack structural depth. The World Bank noted in March 2025 that “more than half of the interventions remain urban-based, leaving rural populations behind.”
Where Nigeria is Failing?
1. Soaring Cost of Living and Rising Poverty
While macroeconomic indicators may be improving, the average Nigerian is sliding deeper into despair. Inflation hovers at 24%, food inflation at 40%. A 50kg bag of rice now sells for over ₦80,000. Petrol costs have tripled. Transportation, rent and school fees are choking middle and lower-income earners.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), over 129 million Nigerians now live below the poverty line; nearly 56% of the population.
“We are stabilizing the economy while destabilizing human lives,” said Dr. Olufemi Ogunlade, a policy analyst at the Lagos Business School. “There is no social justice in a reform that creates more beggars.”
2. Wage Crisis and Labour Discontent
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) shut down the country for two weeks in mid-2024, demanding a ₦250,000 minimum wage. The federal government responded with ₦70,000, citing fiscal constraints.
While better than the old ₦30,000 wage, it’s still a far cry from reality. Workers have not recovered from the triple inflation shocks of subsidy removal, naira float and increased taxation.
“How can one survive on ₦70,000 when a bag of rice is ₦80,000?” asked a public school teacher in Osun State. “This is slavery dressed as salary.”
3. Insecurity and Governance Paralysis
Despite the militarized rhetoric, insecurity continues to rage. From Zamfara to Borno, from the Middle Belt to the South-East, banditry, terrorism and kidnapping for ransom remain unchecked.
A tragic drone strike in Tudun Biri, Kaduna State, killed dozens of civilians; an incident that mirrored the operational chaos in Nigeria’s military structure.
Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai recently declared:
“Insecurity has increased, the economy is dwindling (Whoever he is giving an appointment to must be someone he knows or from his tribe) this is sheer injustice and nepotism.”
The South-East remains heavily militarized, yet under-policed in terms of community trust. The North-East continues to bleed despite massive security budgets.
4. Cronyism, Corruption and Luxury Spending
As citizens tighten belts, public officials loosen theirs. President Tinubu approved:
₦21 billion to renovate the Vice President’s residence
₦5 billion for SUVs for lawmakers
₦15 billion for a presidential yacht
₦39 billion for a new presidential conference centre
These numbers insult the intelligence of suffering Nigerians.
“How can President Tinubu justify allocating ₦21 billion to renovate the Vice President’s residence when federal universities are struggling?” asked Comrade Ayo Olorunfemi of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project, a ₦15 trillion mega-contract awarded without competitive bidding, has raised alarm bells across civil society, who question both its timing and transparency.
5. Debt, Deficit and Dissonance
Public debt has ballooned from ₦49 trillion in 2023 to over ₦114 trillion by Q2 2025. Servicing debt now consumes over 70% of government revenue.
Despite this, the Tinubu administration continues borrowing, claiming it needs funds for reforms. The IMF has warned Nigeria about its “unsustainable debt trajectory” and urged the country to broaden its tax base; though tax hikes without value-for-money only breed rebellion.
Recommendations
If the Tinubu administration seeks to transform “Renewed Hope” into real human development, it must:
Expand and institutionalize social protection: Build a national welfare system that protects the poor during economic transitions.
Raise wages: Peg minimum wage to inflation and cost of living.
End wasteful spending: Cancel luxury procurements and redirect funds to healthcare, education, and food security.
Tackle insecurity systemically: Reform the military, invest in local policing and deploy intelligence not brute force.
Enforce meritocracy: Appoint based on competence not nepotism. Nigeria is not a private estate.
Final Reflection
President Tinubu’s economic agenda is bold. His willingness to take hard decisions shows resolve. What use is reform when it’s felt only in spreadsheets not stomachs?
Nigeria may be fiscally afloat, but morally adrift. It’s a nation stabilizing its books while destabilizing its people. A country where GDP growth headlines mask graveyard silences in villages wiped out by bandits. Where billions are spent on buildings while babies die from hunger.
If Tinubu wants to be remembered as a true reformer, not just a technocratic gambler, he must pivot from elite economics to human development. Otherwise, the question Nigerians will ask in 2027 won’t be about inflation or forex; it’ll be simple:
“Did my life get better under Tinubu?”
Right now, for too many, the answer is a heartbreaking NO.
Written by George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
FRSC@ 38: SHEHU MOHAMMED STEERING NIGERIA’S ROAD SAFETY REVOLUTION TO GREATER HEIGHTS
By Deputy Corps Marshal Bisi Kazeem (Rtd) fsi, MNIM, anipr
When Mallam Shehu Mohammed assumed leadership as Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), he inherited not just an institution with history, but a national mandate that touches every family, every highway, and every community in Nigeria. At 38 years, the Corps stands tall as Africa’s model road safety agency, and under his stewardship, that legacy is not merely preserved, it is being boldly redefined.
Nigeria’s highways were once synonymous with fear. Before 1988, the World Health Organisation ranked Nigeria among the most dangerous countries in the world to drive. It was a troubling indictment that demanded courage and clarity of purpose. The establishment of the FRSC under Decree No. 45 of 1988 laid the foundation for reform. But sustaining and advancing that reform across decades requires visionary leadership, the kind now exemplified by Mallam Shehu Mohammed.
Today, under his command, the Corps is consolidating its position as one of the most technologically advanced and operationally efficient law enforcement institutions in Nigeria. With renewed strategic focus, the present leadership has deepened the Safe Systems Approach built on people, processes, and technology, ensuring that safety interventions are not reactive, but preventive and intelligence-driven.
One of the defining hallmarks of his administration is accelerated digital transformation. Within six months, over 3,000 personnel were trained to strengthen operational competence and technological adaptability. More than 95 per cent of the Corps’ administrative and operational processes are automated, supported by over 30 web-based applications that enhance traffic governance nationwide. From the National Crash Reporting Information System (NACRIS) to the upgraded e-ticketing platform, innovation is no longer optional; it is institutional culture.
Emergency response under the current Corps Marshal has become faster and more coordinated, with nationwide response time reduced dramatically from 50 minutes to 15 minutes. The 122 toll-free emergency line and 24-hour National Call Centre continue to serve as lifelines for distressed road users, reflecting a leadership that understands that every second counts.
Strategic stakeholder engagement has equally flourished. Safe corridor initiatives have been strengthened, collaboration with transport unions intensified, and enforcement around articulated vehicles tightened. The result is a significant reduction in tanker-related crashes, a development that speaks to deliberate policy direction and disciplined implementation.
Under Mallam Shehu Mohammed’s leadership, data has become a central pillar of enforcement and planning. Through strengthened collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission, the National Bureau of Statistics, and the Nigeria Customs Service, the Corps has advanced harmonized data systems that support evidence-based interventions. Transparent weekly crash trend reporting now guides targeted deployment and corrective strategies.
Nigeria’s standing on the global stage has also been reinforced. The country remains an active participant in the renewed UN Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021–2030) and continues alignment with international road safety conventions. These achievements build on the solid foundation laid by past leaders from Olu Agunloye and General Haladu Hannaniya to Chief Osita Chidoka, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, and Dauda Ali Biu, but under the present Corps Marshal, the momentum has unmistakably intensified.
Operationally, the Corps’ footprint now spans 12 Zonal Commands, 37 Sector Commands, over 300 Unit Commands, over 700 Station Offices, 59 Zebra Emergency Ambulance Points, and presence in all 774 Local Government Areas of Nigeria. Yet beyond physical structures lies a stronger institutional spirit, one driven by discipline, professionalism, and accountability.
From a nation once ranked among the most unsafe for motorists to a continental pacesetter in road safety management, Nigeria’s transformation story is inseparable from the strength of its leadership. At 38 years, FRSC is not simply celebrating longevity; it is celebrating purposeful stewardship.
Mallam Shehu Mohammed represents a generation of reform-minded leadership committed to smarter mobility systems, data-driven enforcement, and people-centered safety administration.
His tenure reflects continuity with courage sustaining the Corps’ proud legacy while boldly steering it toward greater innovation and measurable impact.
The road ahead is demanding. But under his steady command, Nigeria’s highways are safer, its systems smarter, and its future brighter.
Fashion/Lifestyle
Introducing “Atupaglowco” : Where Fragrance Meets Feeling; The Story of Our Beginning
Introducing “Atupaglowco”: Where Fragrance Meets Feeling; The Story of Our Beginning
Every great journey begins with a sense of anticipation. For us, it began with a simple belief that a space should do more than exist, it should speak comfort and glow.
In a world filled with noise, stress, and endless motion, we realized something powerful. Fragrance can transform not just rooms, but moods. A familiar scent can calm anxiety. A warm aroma can turn a house into a home. A gentle glow can bring peace after a long day. This realization gave birth to “Atupaglowco.”
Atupaglowco was not created to sell diffusers, room sprays, or candles. It was created to create experiences. To create moments. To create atmospheres where people can breathe, reflect, and feel whole again.
The name itself represents more than a brand. It represents warmth. It represents light. It represents presence. We remember the early days, the planning, the testing of scents, the moments of doubt, and the moments of excitement. Each candle poured was a step of faith. Each fragrance blended was a piece of our vision coming to life. We weren’t just building products; we were building something meaningful.
Our diffusers were designed to quietly fill spaces with elegance.
Our room sprays were crafted to instantly refresh and revive environments. Our candles were made to bring calm, beauty, and a soft glow into everyday life.
Atupaglowco was born from passion, patience, and purpose. This launch is not just the start of a business. It is the start of a movement to help people create spaces they love. Spaces that inspire rest. Spaces that inspire joy. Spaces that glow.
We believe fragrance is personal. We believe glow is emotional. We believe every space deserves both.
Today, we proudly introduce Atupaglowco to the world.
This is only the beginning.
Ajadi Hails Oyo Speaker Ogundoyin at 39, Describes Him as Beacon of Purposeful Leadership
A leading governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has congratulated the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Edward Ogundoyin, on the occasion of his 39th birthday, describing him as “a symbol of resilience, maturity and purposeful leadership in Nigeria’s democratic journey.”
In a congratulatory message made available to journalists on Tuesday, Ajadi praised Ogundoyin’s steady rise in public service, noting that his emergence as Speaker at a relatively young age reflects the possibilities of responsible youth leadership when combined with discipline, vision and service.
“Rt. Hon. Ogundoyin’s leadership has shown that age is not a barrier to excellence,” Ajadi said. “At 39, he stands tall as one of the most impactful Speakers in Oyo State’s history—calm, inclusive and deeply committed to democratic ideals.”
Ogundoyin, who represents Ibarapa East State Constituency under the Peoples Democratic Party, has served as Speaker since 2019 and was re-elected to lead the 10th Assembly in June 2023. His tenure has been marked by legislative stability, improved executive–legislative relations and youth-inclusive governance.
Ajadi commended the Speaker for fostering unity within the Assembly and prioritising laws that strengthen grassroots development across Oyo State. “His humility, accessibility and focus on people-oriented legislation have earned him respect beyond party lines,” he said. “He exemplifies the kind of leadership Oyo State needs—one anchored on service, accountability and progress.”
The governorship aspirant further described Ogundoyin as a rallying point for young Nigerians aspiring to public office. “In a country searching for credible leaders, Ogundoyin’s story offers hope,” Ajadi added. “He has shown that when young leaders are trusted with responsibility, they can deliver stability and results.”
Ajadi wished the Speaker many more years of good health, wisdom and greater service to Oyo State and Nigeria at large, praying that his leadership journey continues to inspire a new generation of public servants.
Ogundoyin, one of the youngest Speakers in Nigeria, has continued to attract goodwill messages from political leaders, civil society actors and constituents, as Oyo State marks another year in the life of a lawmaker widely regarded as a steady hand in the state’s legislative affairs.
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