The National Assembly will hear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2025 Democracy Day speech at a time of great historical significance and urgent national issues. The address serves as both a sobering reminder of the country’s progress and a reminder of the ongoing democratic inadequacies as Nigeria marks 26 years of unbroken democratic governance. The speech touches on well-known themes of hope and national rebirth in both tone and content, but it frequently avoids the more profound structural and systemic changes required for revolutionary advancement. The socioeconomic environment, the urgent needs of inclusive governance, and the larger outlines of Nigeria’s democratic development must all be considered in any fair evaluation of the speech.
Nigeria’s democratic journey has been marked by resilience but also by regression. Since the return to civilian rule in 1999, democratic institutions have remained formally intact, but their functional capacity has been undermined by executive overreach, legislative inertia, and a weakened judiciary. President Tinubu’s address acknowledges democratic milestones but does not adequately confront the erosion of civil liberties, shrinking civic space, or the alarming trends in media repression and civic activism suppression. The absence of concrete commitments to institutional reforms—such as strengthening judicial independence, electoral transparency, and anti-corruption mechanisms—reveals a gap between rhetorical commitment and democratic consolidation. Equally missing is a coherent national agenda for civic education and democratic literacy, without which popular participation risks being reduced to periodic voting rather than a sustained culture of democratic engagement and accountability.
The President’s silence on digital governance, data protection, and the battle against misinformation is a lost opportunity in an era characterised by digital revolution. In order to maintain free but responsible digital spaces and to prioritise digital literacy, broadband access, and accessible government data as instruments of democratic accountability, Nigeria’s democracy must adapt to its technical reality. Although democratic milestones were noted, it may have been more obvious that significant electoral change had not been committed to, particularly in the wake of contentious elections. Election-related public trust has drastically declined. Notably, the speech made no mention of the pressing necessity for significant election reform. Restoring trust in Nigeria’s political process requires bolstering the Independent National election Commission’s (INEC) autonomy and operational integrity, updating campaign finance regulations, and making sure election offenders are prosecuted.
The rule of law, not the rule by law, is the foundation of a healthy democracy. It is imperative to confront the persistent disobedience to court orders, extended incarceration without charge or trial, and misuse of security forces for political purposes. Nigeria need a revitalised human rights framework that includes a depoliticised court system and revitalised institutions like the National Human Rights Commission. These are crucial for halting the decline in public confidence and guaranteeing that justice is not only carried out but also perceived as having been carried out.
Nigeria’s economy is at its most vulnerable point since the period of structural adjustment. Particularly in rural and conflict-prone areas, poverty is getting worse, unemployment is pervasive, especially among young people, and inflation is still stubbornly high. While outlining a broad economic vision, the president’s speech falls short of offering specific, doable proposals for resolving these structural imbalances. Despite being fiscally sound, the withdrawal of gasoline subsidies and the floating of the naira have made millions of people’s lives more difficult since they lack social safety nets and a well-articulated reform sequencing plan. The lack of transparency on the use of savings from fuel and energy subsidies, as well as the results of ongoing public borrowing, is similarly concerning. Nigerians should receive regular, transparent reports on the results, outputs, and long-term effects of these budgetary decisions. Reform initiatives run the risk of being viewed as extractive rather than developmental in the absence of such transparency and impact tracking.
A robust economic governance framework must prioritize not just growth, but equity, productivity, and institutional accountability in public financial management at both national and subnational levels. Social protection should not be viewed as a temporary palliative, but as a permanent architecture for resilience, particularly for the poor, the unemployed, and those vulnerable to economic shocks. Local governments, which are closest to the people, must also be empowered through credible devolution, fiscal federalism, and mechanisms for community-led development. Subnational democracy—often weakened by patronage, state capture, and the absence of checks and balances—requires urgent revitalization through legal and institutional reforms.
True federalism is not merely a constitutional ideal but a developmental necessity. The President’s speech did not offer a roadmap for recalibrating center-state relations, addressing revenue allocation inequities, or empowering states to drive innovation in governance. As long as fiscal and political centralization persists, local accountability and responsive governance will remain elusive. A new democratic compact is needed—one that decentralizes power, enhances intergovernmental coordination, and respects the autonomy of state and local governments.
Crucially missing in the President’s message is a coherent approach to regional disparities. The northern parts of the country, particularly the North East and North West, continue to suffer from multidimensional poverty, limited infrastructure, and protracted insecurity. The Niger Delta, despite decades of agitation and resource wealth, remains underdeveloped and environmentally degraded. Meanwhile, the South East grapples with political and socioeconomic marginalization and violent agitation. A unifying national agenda must reflect the country’s federal diversity and allocate responsibilities and resources in ways that are responsive to regional priorities and grievances. This includes honest engagement with historical injustices and a transitional justice framework that acknowledges the wounds of the past while forging a path to national healing and unity.
The omission of climate change and environmental sustainability from the President’s address is a significant blind spot. From desertification in the North to flooding in the South, the climate crisis threatens lives, livelihoods, and national stability. Nigeria needs a just energy transition strategy that balances its development needs with environmental justice, including clear commitments to green jobs, renewable energy, and ecological restoration in regions like the Niger Delta. Environmental governance must become a core pillar of national planning, not an afterthought.
Youth engagement remains one of Nigeria’s most underutilized assets. With over 60% of the population under the age of 25, young people are a demographic and democratic force. Yet, their political inclusion remains marginal, often limited to tokenistic roles or manipulated through patronage networks. The address does not lay out a youth-specific democratic or economic strategy. Reforms must aim at transforming education systems, scaling vocational and digital skills, and institutionalizing pathways for youth leadership in party politics, policymaking, and civil society. This also requires dismantling legal and informal barriers to political participation, including exorbitant nomination fees, rigged primaries, and the criminalization of protest.
Gender inclusion, another critical pillar of democracy, was only briefly acknowledged. Nigerian women remain underrepresented in all spheres of governance despite constitutional guarantees and international commitments. The persistent failure to pass gender equity bills and the lack of targeted investments in women’s economic empowerment speak to a deeper sociopolitical neglect. A forward-looking democracy must dismantle legal, cultural, and economic barriers that hinder women’s full participation, while also embedding gender-responsive budgeting and policymaking across all government levels.
The success of any reform agenda lies not just in vision but in institutional continuity. Nigeria’s democracy would benefit from mechanisms that insulate critical national reforms—particularly in education, health, and public service delivery—from partisan disruptions. Building resilient institutions, rather than strongmen, must become the cornerstone of democratic consolidation. A long-term development framework, protected from political volatility, is essential to fostering public trust and sustained progress.
Security, a foundational pillar of any democratic state, received considerable attention in the President’s speech, but mostly in operational terms. The militarized approach to insecurity—whether in counter-insurgency, anti-banditry, or secessionist containment—has not yielded sustainable peace. A rights-based, development-led security framework is urgently needed, one that addresses the root causes of violence, such as inequality, exclusion, and governance failure. Community-based policing, justice sector reform, and improved civil-military relations should form part of this recalibrated strategy. National security must be people-centered, with mechanisms for local accountability and inclusive peacebuilding.
The role of the diaspora, acknowledged briefly in the President’s address, deserves deeper strategic engagement. With millions of Nigerians abroad contributing over $20 billion annually in remittances, their potential in diplomacy, investment, innovation, and nation-building remains untapped. A truly inclusive democracy should enfranchise diaspora voting rights, establish clearer frameworks for diaspora investment, and create formal mechanisms for their civic and policy participation.
Ultimately, the 2025 Democracy Day address reflects both the continuity and contradictions of Nigeria’s democratic project. It appeals to national unity and resilience, yet omits the hard truths and bold commitments necessary to forge a more inclusive and accountable polity. For democracy to thrive in Nigeria, it must deliver not just on elections and symbolism, but on justice, opportunity, and dignity for all citizens. A transformative path forward requires honest introspection, courageous leadership, and an unwavering commitment to the principles of democratic governance—participation, transparency, accountability, and equity. Only then can the hopes expressed in this address be matched by the lived realities of the Nigerian people.
Prof. Chiwuike Uba
