On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu marked one year in office. In doing this, Tinubu’s government and the president’s supporters listed various achievements his administration, which many Nigerians did not agree with. YUSUF ABDULKADIR, TEMILOLUWA AKINOLA, and AYOMIPO AKANO sampled the opinions of some Nigerians on the president’s performance in the last year. Their views:
Samuel Adepoju
Despite the current economic challenges, the president is actively working on restructuring the nation. For instance, the removal of oil subsidies is a crucial step, as its continuation would have been disastrous for the economy. An informed individual will recognise this. Additionally, the Electricity Act of 2024 has decentralised power to the states, and the president has endorsed state police, which will enhance security and bring peace to the nation. While the restructuring process may be painful and unbearable, the results would be positive. Hopefully, the president would see this through to the end, leading to significant economic development. Based on his efforts so far, I would rate his administration seven out of ten.
Ajarat Muritala
I could provide a hypothetical response based on his campaign promises and initial actions. I would rate President Tinubu’s one year in office as a mixed bag. He has made significant strides in infrastructural development and economic reforms, but his administration’s response to security challenges and corruption has been slow. His commitment to youth empowerment and education is commendable. However, more needs to be done to address the rising cost of living and unemployment. Overall, it is a decent start, but more work needs to be done to fulfil his campaign promises.
Oloko Ayodele
I believe that the first 365 days are not enough to judge a man. I believe that the actions that have been taken up till now have come from a place of good intentions. I believe it is too early to pass judgment on this government. We, the people, should not lose hope yet. We should keep playing our role as the people who want to see the development of this glorious nation.
Ademola Hamzat
Opportunities abound in Nigeria. However, the APC and President Tinubu spare no effort in ensuring that suffering abounds. The yearnings and wailings of the people are falling behind their ears. Foods that should be the most affordable are annoyingly expensive. I cannot name one thing that has gotten better since a year ago. A ‘mudu’ of beans is now N3,500. Meanwhile, they are up there thinking they are the best thing to happen to us. Tinubu would not score himself 10/100 with the current state of things.
Elizabeth Okediran
In one year of leadership, Bola Tinubu has made notable headway in economic reforms. Since he took the reins of power, expectations were high and the nation held its breath. As we reflect on his first year as president, it is essential to evaluate his performance and assess the progress made. In social development, the president has demonstrated a commitment to social welfare, particularly in the area of health care and education. The student loan is an example. In leadership and governance, Tinubu’s style has been a subject of debate. While he has demonstrated a willingness to listen and engage with various stakeholders, there are concerns about his administration’s transparency and accountability. The president has sacked nothing less than nine senior government officials since December 2023. The journey ahead will be long and challenging. While there have been notable achievements, the administration must address the lingering concerns and criticisms. It is essential to prioritise unity and progress. President Tinubu administration’s is yet to achieve greatness.
Andrew Orupke
Let us be sincere. They handed over a broken barton to him. He has been trying his best to lift Nigeria off the mess of previous administrations. Forget what you see on social media — in reality, there is no magic anyone would have done. This is just one year out of four, and he has been able to lay strong foundations for different sectors. With the economic hardship and wars going on all over the world, Nigeria is still standing. I rate the president 80 percent.
Olalere Taiwo
The administration’s performance so far is rated two out of ten, just for effort. From the inaugural speech of the president, the country has been in turmoil and confusion, with people merely surviving. Announcing subsidy removal on the first day in office has left a big mark on the economy. Prices have soared, and policies made so far have mostly failed, leading to constant revisions. I will rate governance under his watch four out of ten, while security is nonexistent. There is little optimism for the future, but hope remains for change.
Bola Adebayo
If I were to rate President Tinubu’s one year in office, I would say it has been a tug of war. I do not know if there is anything that could be done to this current situation because it saddens my heart. I often ask this question: Can we ever experience a better Nigeria? I pray that Nigerians can wake up and find solutions to the problems and chaos we are going through because if things continue like this, a lot of lives will perish. This past year looks like ten years of suffering and we have about three more years to go. What would be the end of us all?
Ayyub Adam
With the Renewed Hope mantra popularised by the presidency, the expended efforts, strategy, and system adopted have greatly impacted the nation in the last year. The national economy experienced an unprecedented development shortly after it was drenched in the drought of wretchedness, though its present condition is deteriorating. Getting strong and armoured, fortified and resilient, national security is on its hill. In the last year, cases of kidnapping of schoolchildren, though very alarming, the military intelligence has done more than enough to bring back the children to their parents and home.
Dominion Ekwebelem
The price of fuel, food inflation, further devaluation of naira, and so on. The president’s one year has been great, though everything is not perfect. However, complaints have been coming from Nigerians. It has gone so deep that every single person is affected by the government. Tinubu is helping to cushion the hardship with the introduction of different palliative. Transportation has become expensive and it has affected the price of a lot of things. Rejuvenating the refineries had a deadline of last year, but we are now in the middle of 2024 and we are all capitalising on Dangote’s refinery. I pray that God would give the president the wisdom to continue with the rest of the three years he has left.
Abdullahi Abdullateef
To be frank, I fairly admit that his one year in office is neither good nor bad because many of the so-called Britton-wood economy policies adopted by this administration may likely not yield good results in Nigeria. The administration’s fostering of the continuity of the previous dispensation’s social empowerment is commendable. My rating is in the middle because the current state of the economy has rendered many Nigerians hopeless.
Taofeek Alata
I joined other well-meaning Nigerians in reflecting on the policy decisions that have shaped the nation — from the fuel subsidy removal and devaluation of the naira to issues of unemployment, industrial disputes, unresolved minimum wages, electricity tariff hikes, and general inflation rate. The popular saying: “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” suggests that achieving great things takes time and considerable effort. We look forward to witnessing the fruits of the solid foundation laid through the challenging policies aimed at steering the nation toward prosperity. I give President Tinubu six out of ten for now.
Beulah Segilola
I would rate President Tinubu’s performance 50/50. I commend him for removing fuel subsidy. But, unfortunately, we have not seen the expected positive impact on the economy. While he seems enthusiastic about reviving the economy, he appears to lack a clear implementation plan. As an economist, I recognise that inflation can be beneficial in moderation — but, if left unchecked, it could be catastrophic. Effective management of inflation is crucial to ensure economic stability and growth.
Samuel Ogunbadeniyi
I have always termed President Tinubu’s administration as “Jack of all policies.” This is because, after a long while in the country’s leadership history, this would be the first administration that has engaged various sectors of the country with a myriad of daunting policies. Key policies in this regard have been fuel subsidy removal, tax policies and reforms, foreign exchange adjustments, and tons of monetary policy to stabilise the naira, economy, and financial market. However, just like other policies in Nigeria over the years, the ability to effectively implement these policies remains a challenge. Sadly, this has further eroded the potential positive outcomes of various policies of the administration in the past few months.
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