Opinion
The Scourge Called Exam Malpractice
As a result of over emphasis on paper qualification, examination cheating has become a vogue, while our children now prefer enjoying themselves at the expense of their studies. Because they are unsure of their ability to pass examinations, they resolve to finding cheap ways of doing so. Often, they rely on pre-knowledge of examination question papers otherwise known as expo. Unfortunately, the result of this practice is a fall in the standard of education.
Examination malpractice will hardly be sustained if it is not encouraged. Disappointingly, some examiners encourage the students to indulge in this obnoxious practice by collaborating with them. These examiners sometimes use this medium for economic gain as huge sums of money are exchanged for expo. For example, the early White men introduced this examination malpractice in Nigeria in the early sixties; that brought about this gradually changing attitude of assessment of many students who forge papers.
Misconduct during the examinations period, ranging from buying question papers to sorting of lecturers and examiners. Examination malpractices have become unconscious/conscious behaviour in Nigeria. The concomitant effect of exam malpractice in Nigeria can not entirely be expressed here. But surfice it that the effect ranges from inability to express oneself in public with good command of English Language, inability to defend one’s pressure course of study, leading to inability to secure employment.
The downturn effect is usually frustration because the individuals has placed his/herself in the place of a graduate who people expect to be highly intelligent and productive, but turns out to be a wastrel after spending long years in school.
Many of our youths become frustrated and disillusioned as they see their colleagues, whose academic standard is rated low, being given admission either because they can afford the necessary bribe or have godfathers who speak on their behalf.
The problem of examination malpractice, I believe, can be stopped mainly with the attention and help of the government. I am personal convinced that with government’s readiness to combat the malaise of examination malpractice, there will be a change, and the examination malpractice will be a thing of the past.
Over the years emphasis has been place on providing education for the people. This is because of the belief that education inculcates in the people the sense of belonging. The training of our children has become a collective responsibility of teachers and parents. We should drum it to our children;s ears that Education malpractices are not important tools for achieving knowledge and national development.
Disappointingly, many educated people in the society exhibit the greatest act of indiscipline by indulge in various vices which render the nation impotent. In this country where the majority of the populace are not enlightened, the cue is taken from the learned majority. This majority are seen as the eyes of the people. Any of their indulgences is seen as well acceptable because they are expected to be more discipline by virtue of their education. In view of this, any learned people who falls to exemplify rectitude does a great damage to the nation as he or she stands to contaminate many around him who expect him to be an embodiment of examination malpractice.
Sintrials E. Etim
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