Opinion
poye-Jonathan is a staff of the Rivers State Ministry of Information.
There is no need shying away from tackling the challenge posed by insecurity since education is, no doubt, crucial in the social, economic, political and technological development of a nation.
The greatest asset to any society is her citizens and their capabilities. These capabilities can be acquired through quality education for no nation can rise above her citizenry. It is in recognition of this that the international community and governments all over the world have made commitments for citizens to have access to quality education.
Over the years, Nigeria has expressed a commitment to education in the belief that over coming illiteracy and ignorance will form a basis for accelerated national development. However, in spite of the fact that education is crucial to the development of man and nation, there are security challenges that have impacted negatively on the educational sector in Nigeria.
Security challenges in the educational sector refer to factors (real or imaginary) that pose threat to access to education and quality education. In other words, these factors threaten the advancement of the aims and objectives of the National Policy on education to which the philosophy is linked.
Inculcation of National consciousness and national unity, the right type of values and attitudes for the survival of the individual and Nigerian society, the training of the mind in the understanding of the world, Acquisition of appropriate skills, abilities and competencies both mental and physical as equipment for the individual to live in and contribute to the development of his society, are among the factors for the right and enabling environment for educational advancement.
The security challenges have so much impacted negatively on education that it has become near impossible to achieve the afore mentioned objectives of the philosophy on the national policy on education. Some of the challenges include;
Under-funding is s major challenge that have militated against the education sector. Funding is said to be responsible for the lack of infrastructure. Deterioration and inadequate infrastructural facilities lead to dissatisfied personnel and brain-drain, poor quality of teaching and research materials. Even the frequent calendar disruptions in our schools have been associated with inadequate funding.
Funding is a security challenge because it affects both the access to education and quality of education. Inadequate funding results in schools not having enough capacity to accommodate most of the candidates seeking admission into our schools. It also affects research and teaching, which form the bedrock for quality education.
Corruption and mismanagement of funds: Despite the problem of inadequate funding, our schools are confronted with other related problems namely: corruption and mismanagement of funds. Some University authorities and agencies managing other levels in our educational sector are known to have misappropriated and mismanaged available funds. Some authorities hide actual statistics to evade proper accountability. In some cases, outright corruption has been observed. These have also impinged greatly on both access to and quality of education.
The problem of power supply is well known in Nigeria. Often people talk about its effects on industry. However, it presents a greater challenge to the educational sector that produces the manpower, research and development inputs or the industry.
Power outage affects everything from research, teaching, publishing, functioning of facilities and systems (including the e-education), particularly now that online studies (through the internet) has become a welcome development in the education sector. Eratic power supply is also an element of physical insecurity as it provides room for criminals.
The practice of cultism has been a serious challenge. It must be stated here that corruption is the manure for the growth of cultism.
It has roots in the society and has infiltrated the entire education sector, from primary to tertiary Institutions. The conditions in higher educational institutions such as over crowding, poor facilities and admission fraud have been blamed for the emergence of secret cults in the education sector.
Cult activities have been made illegal but the practices continue due to loopholes in the system. Such loopholes have made it difficult for University authorities to prove allegations of membership of secret cults. Moreover, there exists a lot of danger when cultists return to campus after serving their punishment.
Safety on campuses and creation of conducive learning environment are essential for effective education and for the elimination or reduction of the anger that contribute to the attractiveness of cult activities. The security challenges in this area are staggering due to the fact that they are rooted in the society and the political system.
Cultism even poses more danger to lives especially with the use of guns by members. Government legislation seems to be ineffective in stamping the menace out of the education sector. This issue requires sustained campaign by both government and educational institutions because it affects negatively the quality of education.
It also affects exchange programmes whereby students who come on exchange programmes leave for fear of being killed or lynched as a result of cultism.
Intense competition for access to the education system has led to wide spread cheating in examinations for the purpose of obtaining higher scores to improve the chances of gaining admission to the next level of education. Cheating takes place in all areas for which examinations are required.
Selling of grades termed “sorting”, sale of handouts and sexual harassment by lecturers have posed serious security challenges on quality of education in our country.
Those who practice these nefarious activities do everything in their reach to eliminate those who stand on their way. This results to turning out half-baked graduates who are not employable and therefore cannot be useful in the development of the society.
Legislation has been passed to discourage these crimes but enforcement has been the problems.
The education sector is presently in a sordid state in the country. The University lecturers are now on strike and they have been joined by the non-teaching staff. It means the public schools in the country are not in session. When the strike is called off, the students and pupils will be examined on what they were not taught. This is why well-to-do parents now send their children to neighbouring countries like Ghana for university education.
Daniel is an intern with The Tide
Chinyere Daniel
From all indications, Nigeria possesses enough human and material resources to become a true economic powerhouse in Africa. According to the National Population Commission (NPC, 2023), the country’s population has grown steadily within the last decade, presently standing at about 220 million people—mostly young, vibrant, and innovative. Nigeria also remains the sixth-largest oil producer in the world, with enormous reserves of gas, fertile agricultural land, and human capital.
Yet, despite this enormous potential, the country continues to grapple with underdevelopment, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2023) show that about 129 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line. Most families can no longer afford basic necessities, even as the government continues to project a rosy economic picture.
The Subsidy Question
The removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been one of the most controversial policy decisions in Nigeria’s recent history. According to the president, subsidy removal was designed to reduce fiscal burden, unify the foreign exchange rate, attract investment, curb inflation, and discourage excessive government borrowing.
While these objectives are theoretically sound, the reality for ordinary Nigerians has been severe hardship. Fuel prices more than tripled, transportation costs surged, and food inflation—already high—rose above 30% (NBS, 2023). The World Bank (2023) estimates that an additional 7.1 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty after subsidy removal.
A Critical Economic View
As an economist, I argue that the problem was not subsidy removal itself—which was inevitable—but the timing, sequencing, and structural gaps in Nigeria’s implementation.
- Structural Miscalculation
Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries remain nonfunctional. By removing subsidies without local refining capacity, the government exposed the economy to import-price pass-through effects—where global oil price shocks translate directly into domestic inflation. This was not just a timing issue but a fundamental policy miscalculation.
- Neglect of Social Safety Nets
Countries like Indonesia (2005) and Ghana (2005) removed subsidies successfully only after introducing cash transfers, transport vouchers, and food subsidies for the poor (World Bank, 2005). Nigeria, however, implemented removal abruptly, shifting the fiscal burden directly onto households without protection.
- Failure to Secure Food and Energy Alternatives
Fuel subsidy removal amplified existing weaknesses in agriculture and energy. Instead of sequencing reforms, government left Nigerians without refinery capacity, renewable energy alternatives, or mechanized agricultural productivity—all of which could have cushioned the shock.
Political and Public Concerns
Prominent leaders have echoed these concerns. Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, described the subsidy removal as “good but wrongly timed.” Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party also faulted the government’s hasty approach. Human rights activists like Obodoekwe Stive stressed that refineries should have been made functional first, to reduce the suffering of citizens.
This is not just political rhetoric—it reflects a widespread economic reality. When inflation climbs above 30%, when purchasing power collapses, and when households cannot meet basic needs, the promise of reform becomes overshadowed by social pain.
Broader Implications
The consequences of this policy are multidimensional:
- Inflationary Pressures – Food inflation above 30% has made nutrition unaffordable for many households.
- Rising Poverty – 7.1 million Nigerians have been newly pushed into poverty (World Bank, 2023).
- Middle-Class Erosion – Rising transport, rent, and healthcare costs are squeezing household incomes.
- Debt Concerns – Despite promises, government borrowing has continued, raising sustainability questions.
- Public Distrust – When government promises savings but citizens feel only pain, trust in leadership erodes.
In effect, subsidy removal without structural readiness has widened inequality and eroded social stability.
Missed Opportunities
Nigeria’s leaders had the chance to approach subsidy removal differently:
- Refinery Rehabilitation – Ensuring local refining to reduce exposure to global oil price shocks.
- Renewable Energy Investment – Diversifying energy through solar, hydro, and wind to reduce reliance on imported petroleum.
- Agricultural Productivity – Mechanization, irrigation, and smallholder financing could have boosted food supply and stabilized prices.
- Social Safety Nets – Conditional cash transfers, food vouchers, and transport subsidies could have protected the most vulnerable.
Instead, reform came abruptly, leaving citizens to absorb all the pain while waiting for theoretical long-term benefits.
Conclusion: Reform With a Human Face
Fuel subsidy removal was inevitable, but Nigeria’s approach has worsened hardship for millions. True reform must go beyond fiscal savings to protect citizens.
Economic policy is not judged only by its efficiency but by its humanity. A well-sequenced reform could have balanced fiscal responsibility with equity, ensuring that ordinary Nigerians were not crushed under the weight of sudden change.
Nigeria has the resources, population, and resilience to lead Africa’s economy. But leadership requires foresight. It requires policies that are inclusive, humane, and strategically sequenced.
Reform without equity is displacement of poverty, not development. If Nigeria truly seeks progress, its policies must wear a human face.
References
- National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2023). Poverty and Inequality Report. Abuja.
- National Population Commission (NPC). (2023). Population Estimates. Abuja.
- World Bank. (2023). Nigeria Development Update. Washington, DC.
- World Bank. (2005). Fuel Subsidy Reforms: Lessons from Indonesia and Ghana. Washington, DC.
- OPEC. (2023). Annual Statistical Bulletin. Vienna.
By: Amarachi Amaugo