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Having suffered so much hardship in 2025, Nigerians expect that 2026 will be better. They want an end to the suffering and misery; they want a new lease of life. Unfortunately, the government is yet to get a handle on the economy. The haphazard implementation of fiscal and monetary policies led to present economic hardship in the country.
The government must rejig the economy for people to fare better in 2026. The value of the naira is still depreciating against the dollar and other foreign currencies. Electric supply has not been stable as many Nigerians depend on generators for their energy. Multiple-taxation is still killing businesses. Poverty and unemployment are rising. Cost of living is rising as well.
Let the government ensure good life for all Nigerians in 2026. Let it review and retool the fiscal and monetary policies. It must do something to make the people believe that 2026 will be better than 2025. Let it intensify measures to tame inflation. State governments should also endeavour to uplift the standard of living of their people. Many of them are not doing well and only depend on federal allocations to survive. Many still have not been able to pay the minimum wage of N70,000 a month. This is not healthy and must be tackled in the New Year.
With the exception of Anambra, Lagos, Kwara, Abia and Edo states which performed well in fiscal management in 2025, the rest of the states need to wake up. A civic tech organization, BudgIT, noted in its 2025 State of States Report that many of the states, especially Kogi, Jiagawa, Benue and Yobe States depended heavily on federal allocations. These states should intensify efforts to improve their internally generated revenue to be able to meet up with capital and recurrent expenditure.
This year, there will be intense preparations and campaigns for the general election coming up in 2027. Already, many governors elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2025. The governors include Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, Peter Mbah of Enugu State, and Douye Diri of Bayelsa State. Many opposition lawmakers also defected to the APC.
Every effort must be made to avoid Nigeria drifting to a one-party state in the New Year. We believe that multi-party democracy is still the best for the country.
Also, Nigerians expect that there should be genuine and extensive reforms of the electoral system to ensure transparent and credible elections in Nigeria. The 2023 elections were poorly managed, leading to loss of trust and confidence in the system. Without genuine reforms, the 2027 elections may be the worst in terms of voter turnout. Essentially, Nigerians expect, among others, that there will be mandatory electronic voting and simultaneous, real-time manual and electronic publication of election results.
It is expected that the ongoing constitution review by the National Assembly Joint Committee on Constitution Review should also produce good results. The panel had recently rejected proposals for the rotation of the office of the president and governors among the six geopolitical zones in the country and the three senatorial zones in each state. It also rejected the control of mineral resources by states where they are deposited as well as the proposal for the impeachment of the president, vice-president, governors and deputy governors for defection to other parties from the ones on which they were elected. They need to revisit these proposals as they are germane to having inclusive and equitable democratic system.
Nigeria should manage its foreign and domestic policies well. Education and health should be a priority. The Federal Government should find a lasting solution to the frequent strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD). The strikes are often occasioned by poor and dilapidated infrastructure in our public schools and health facilities. The two bodies want better welfare for their members and better education and medical facilities in the country. President Bola Tinubu should endeavour to fulfill any agreement the government signed with these unions.
Insecurity remains a major challenge. Government must take security matter seriously and should evolve a new approach to handle it. It should arrest and prosecute terrorists, bandits and kidnappers. It must improve the living condition of all Nigerians in the New Year. If the government had done what it’s expected to do in providing security for all Nigerians, the United States President, Donald Trump, would not have designated the country as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). He threatened to attack Nigeria if it failed to address the alleged killing or persecution of Christians in the country.
Nigeria should engage the US and other friendly nations to help her in combating terrorism in the country. The New Year should be devoid of these killings. The fifth columnists in security circles must be apprehended and dealt with decisively. Ultimately, President Tinubu should reaffirm his promise to renew the hope of Nigerians in 2026.
