… Lower exchange, inflation rates – Experts, activist
‘…Make more funds accessible to MSMEs’
…Intensify fight against insecurity – Ekiye
…States must prioritise capital expenditures in 2025 – Yakubu
Every New Year comes with aspirations and expectations from citizens. BENJAMIN SAMSON in this report captures some expectations of Nigerians in different sectors of the society from their leaders both at the federal and local levels.
As the world welcomes 2025 with fireworks and excitement, Nigerians from different walks of life including workers, students, youth leaders, businessmen, civil servants and civil society organisations have urged the federal and state governments to improve the economic conditions and security outlook of the country in the New Year.
They asked the government to stabilise the falling Naira, make the economy more attractive to foreign investors and friendly to small businesses, and improve the living conditions of citizens, among other demands.
Good governance
Speaking with this reporter, a human rights activist and a campaigner of good governance, Barrister Ikechukwu Utazi, urged governments at all levels to ensure good governance so that Nigerians can enjoy the dividends of democracy.
He said, “Our expectations are good governance, strong institutions, more accountability, less corruption, respect for law and order by the government, more citizen participation in governance, lower exchange and inflation rates, higher standard of living for the citizens, and renewed hope in the country.”
He said the government must resist the urge to make Nigeria a one-party state, adding that such would have dire consequences for the country.
“The government should resist the urge to make Nigeria a one-party state. Our history teaches us that there are usually dire consequences for such political greed or inordinate political ambition.”
SMEs
The president, Association of Small Business Owners, Femi Egbesola, in his contribution, demanded an improvement in power generation across the country.
He also said he expected the government to construct new roads and repair existing ones to make transportation of goods and services easier.
Egbesola said, “We hope that there will be an improvement in the country’s fiscal policy. To improve the economy, we expect that the government will work more with critical stakeholders.
“The government should not be the one formulating policies and implementing them. Policies should be developed in collaboration with stakeholders.
“We also expect the government to fix critical infrastructure, particularly power. All businesses depend on power. Having invested billions of Naira in power and privatising it, the government should make sure that it works. We expect that power should have improved by now, but it is rather getting worse. We must bid farewell to grid collapse this year.
“We also expect the government to be able to make more funds accessible to Medium and Small Scale Enterprises (MSMEs). One of the critical challenges of MSMEs is that they are unable to access affordable funds. This will help to awaken ailing and almost dead businesses.”
He also begged the government to make forex available, adding that MSMEs were currently buying foreign currencies from at exorbitant rates.
“The banks sell only to big companies at the detriment of micro and small businesses. Our economy will improve if we do more export and we will do more export if we have access to funding and forex.
“We also expect that the committee on tax and fiscal reforms established by the government will be able to bring out solutions that will mitigate against multiple taxes and other arbitrary charges by the government. We also expect that the government will do more on intervention funds. One thing is to make funds available through commercial banks, another thing is for the government to create more intervention funds for small businesses.”
Economy
Also, a financial expert, and consultant at the Lagos Business School, Olusola Adeola, said the government should devise methods to ease the country’s financial burdens in 2025.
He said, “I expect that the government will roll out ways to ease the financial burdens witnessed in 2024. I spend a significant part of my salary on transport and food. Despite cutting off unnecessary expenditures such as visitation to friends and families, my monthly income still can’t take me to the next month.
“The government should find means of reducing food inflation, which is estimated at 32.8 per cent as of November, to save people from dying of hunger. Also, the onus is on the government to implement measures to improve power supply so one can save money for buying fuel every night. I hope that the New Year will be a rewarding one.”
Another financial expert, Kehinde Adekoya, said Nigeria witnessed considerable changes in every sector in 2024, adding that the government must ease the masses’ woes in the New Year.
“Nigerians have witnessed an increase in fuel pump price and exchange rates, which have affected the prices of every other goods and services.
“Apart from the above concerns, there is the safety and security issue. Although there has been an existing level of insecurity in the country, the recently inflicted hardship fuels the crime rate in the country as many take to crime as their last resort for a livelihood.
“The government should create more job opportunities through foreign investors, establishing new businesses or state-owned industries in the country. This will, in turn, reduce the high rate of unemployment. The government must ensure that it makes the country a producing country rather than a consuming one.”
Likewise, a professor of sociology, Mukhtar Dogo, tasked the president to ensure that the Renewed Hope Agenda works for everyone.
He said, “The past year and a half have been marked by rising inflation, and food insecurity. Although the government is working hard to address these issues, they have taken a toll on the citizens’ morale.
“As the clock ticks in the New Year, Nigerians are hoping that 2025 will bring respite from the current hardships. The sense of desperation is palpable, and the government faces a mounting pressure to deliver into its promises and restore hope to the citizenry. The year 2024 has been one of the most challenging for Nigerians. The government must ensure that the Renewed Hope Agenda benefits all and not a select few.
“Nigeria’s current state is alarming, with a disturbing score of 28.8% on the 2024 Global Hunger Index. The country’s insecurity woes are further complicated by numerous security challenges, prompting military deployment in 30 out of 36 states.
“The World Bank reports that poverty is high and rising in Nigeria, with employment alone not being enough to lift people out of poverty. It’s essential for the current administration to prioritise policies that promote economic growth, job-creation, and social welfare. The administration needs to prioritise welfare to alleviate the suffering of the Nigerian people.
“I urge you to take bold steps to address these challenges. Engage with local industries to address food inflation and hold those responsible for hoarding foodstuff accountable. The future of Nigeria depends on the actions you take today.”
Youth participation
Also, the president and secretary of the Board of Trustees, the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ambassador Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, urged the government to expand the frontier of youth participation in governance and create job opportunities for the youth.
He said, “The government must play its part in creating an environment conducive for youth development. The National Youth Council of Nigeria advocates for greater investment in programmes that promote skills development, create job opportunities, and encourage entrepreneurship.
“The government is urged to prioritise initiatives that provide practical training and equip young Nigerians with the tools they need to succeed in a rapidly changing global economy. It should expand educational programmes, offering job training opportunities, and establishing platforms to showcase youth innovation are critical to empowering young Nigerians for the future.
“This will be achieved if we set aside partisan and primordial interests, be in one accord and foster sustainable development that will improve the well-being of citizens. A robust democracy depends on the equal and active participation of the active populace.”
Security
On security, a security expert, Oghene Ekiye, urged the government to take decisive action to curb the escalating insecurity in the North-west, particularly the menace of banditry and the new terror sect, Lakurawa.
“If we can resolve these security challenges, I believe our economy will improve. There cannot be progress without national security. The fight against terrorism, insurgency, banditry, militancy, kidnapping, etc, should be intensified and crushed in 2025. We must not allow the new terror sect Lakurawa to spread.
“Security agencies should be well-equipped and motivated to discharge their constitutional duties. We note with pride the progress made so far and urge our gallant soldiers on the front lines to push for total victory. Our thoughts and prayers are with them in restoring public safety and order.”
Govs
A civil servant based in Keffi local government area of Nasarawa state, Adanu Ali, urged the governors to improve on the quality of education in their states.
He asked the governments to fulfil their promises to improve the quality of infrastructure in schools.
“I personally believe that the governments have what it takes to restore the lost glory of our schools. They should provide teaching kits and improve the salaries of teachers. They can do this by ruling out needless spending,” he said.
Abdulmajid Abdullahi Bako, who works with one of the hospitals in Nasarawa state, said the governors have no excuse not to perform in 2025.
“Fuel subsidies have been removed, and the governors are receiving a lot of money. When they were about to remove the subsidies, we were told it was only benefiting the rich and that the proceeds would be channelled towards improving the lives of the poor.
“It is now approaching two years and we want to see the benefits. Our governors should justify the money they are collecting by working hard to improve our life,” he said.
Muhammad Nasiru, a retired teacher in Kogi state, urged the government to prioritise workers and pensioners’ welfare, given the rising cost of living.
Comrade Joseph Evah, a school proprietor, said the education sector must be prioritised to address overcrowding in classrooms and other challenges.
An entrepreneur, Bukola Arubuola, urged governors to execute road projects in order to ease traffic and create jobs for the youth.
Speaking exclusively with Blueprint Weekend, the executive director of the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity See (CeFTIW), Umar Yakubu, urged states to prioritise capital expenditures in the 2025 fiscal year.
He said, “If you raise your budget with the level of poverty at the sub-national level, it is supposed to be mainly for capital expenditures because those capital expenditures will provide jobs, help the economy, support small and medium scale businesses and other things that will generate economic activity.”