Saturday Southerner — Another View 

Saturday, March 21, 2026

Since the inception of this administration, there has been high increase in the revenue to the federal, state and local governments. Almost every month, the three tiers of governments share huge sums of revenue that have never been witnessed in the history of Nigeria.

According to recent media reports, an additional revenue allocation of about N14.57trn. gotten from royalty, oil tax, profit from sale of oil and gas and others was shared by the federal, states and local governments.

The money was advised to be paid directly into the federation account by the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. No doubt, there has been a tremendous increase in money shared between the Federal, States and Local Governments since Tinubu came to power.

Unfortunately, there has not been any social and economic infrastructural and human capital development witnessed in the FG, States or LGs to measure up with the huge resources that the country has earned.

Nigerians are wondering, why do we have these large resources, yet the majority of citizens are languishing in chronic poverty? The question is no longer whether the economic reforms of the government have boosted our revenue but rather what has the government at the centre and states done with the revenues? Why are these huge sums not transforming the lives of the people and country?

Since 2023, poverty and hardship in the country has worsened. About 63% of Nigerians have gone into abject poverty since the scrapping of the so-called oil subsidy. Any sensitive government would have come up with programs to cushion the effects of the austerity measures currently biting the country.

We are not witnessing any socio-economic infrastructure geared towards the amelioration of the pains associated with the hardship in the country.

So far, millions of Nigerians continue to grapple with the surging petrol price increase, high transportation cost, electricity tariff, illicit drug abuse, increase in foodstuffs price and other essentials. What exactly are the governments in the country doing to arrest the situation?

The general elections are coming and every focus has shifted to politics. As it is, there is no transparency, accountability, probity, prioritization of basic necessities in the way monies are spent by the federal, state and local governments. This is part of the reason citizens are suffering and not feeling the impact of the economic reforms of the government.

How can the federal government be making these huge sums of money monthly and her citizens are sick and dying? Ordinarily, the government should have worked harder to encourage Nigerians and foreigners doing business in Nigeria to put the people first.

The high cost of doing business in the country is discouraging and killing. It has forced many big and small-scale industries to either reduce staff strength, increase prices of commodities, relocate outside the country or completely shut down business.

In other parts of the world where probity and accountability are the order of the day, revenues realized by the government are pumped into critical sectors of the economy, improve infrastructure and human capital development.

But it is not so here, hence the continuous stagnation of the country’s economy and underdevelopment. The world is aware that Nigeria is a wealthy country but wonders at her backwardness? Why should the FG not realize the importance of education and fund it adequately?

Our federal and state owned secondary and tertiary institutions are in a sorry state. Our once envied Ivory towers have collapsed to a pitiable condition. It is same in the health sector.

It is the reason our political class and other well to do men and women travel overseas for medical attention. Nigeria with her wealth can declare an enviable free education and healthcare for her citizens without the heavens falling.

If the administration of late Alhaji Lateef Jakande in Lagos state during the second republic could ensure free and compulsory education for her children, why can’t today’s governors with the humongous amount at their disposal do same? What are they doing with these monies?

The government’s claim of its economic reform yielding fruits is not a reality but a complete circulation of embarrassment. An irreparable economic harm is been done to Nigeria and Nigerians. The world is mocking us and, that can only be possible when a government has contempt for her people and no regard for the country.

The country’s political class is living large while the led are angry, hungry, sick and hopeless. Nigeria has moved from a failed state to a crime scene. That’s where we are presently. Nigerian citizens are slaughtered like mere animals at the abattoir.

Armed bandits move from community to community killing hundreds of defenceless citizens without any provocation. How can a country be making such huge sums and not plan and organize its security to protect her own people effectively?

Nigerians are wondering why, with the huge sums, our roads are in terrible shape. The railway system is not something to write home about. How can a country have this large population, geography, commerce, enough wealth and resources and there is no efficient railway system? What does it take to get an efficient railway system in Nigeria?

The anti-corruption agencies must rise up to the challenge and fight corruption. The widespread reports of corruption, wasteful spending and looting of the treasury do not augur well for the country.

The people of Nigeria must show interest in the governance of their country. They need to come together and demand for good governance and condemn bad leadership at all levels. Nigeria cannot be wealthy and the citizens are wallowing in chronic poverty and hardship.

Presently, there is no social welfare system and economic infrastructure that reduces poverty in the country. All the economic reforms are arranged to cater for the rich while the poor are impoverished the more. It is time for Nigerians to demand from their leaders, when will their sacrifices, the belt tightening lead to their economic emancipation?