Opinion
Cultivating The Nigerian Spirit
Something intrigues me about the average Nigerian, how he makes constant efforts in order to achieve a specific goal. The average Nigerian is steadfast in whatever he does so long as the intended outcome is attained.
I am astonished at the manner Nigerians persist in most of their endeavours in spite of the odds that prevail. Indeed, to most Nigerians, the word “guilt” is eccentric and missing in their lexicon.
The common Nigerian believes that he will succeed whenever he attempts a project. He is prepared to put in all to ensure that he is not counted a failure in the end.
Recently, I was in the company of a group of young boys. In the conversation that ensued, one of them, who had just returned from Australia, narrated how in that country, graduates commit suicide for their inability to secure jobs upon graduating from school. Others perpetrate suicide for their disability to gain admission to the university.
Compare the scenarios to what obtains in Nigeria, where thousand and one reasons exist for one to terminate one’s life. Young Nigerians make repeated attempts to succeed in the unified tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTMs) without success, but don’t give up.
Think about the rising spate of unemployment in the country which has caused unimaginable frustration to our youths and turns the knowledge they acquire from school into utopian ideals. Some Nigerians leave the university or higher institutions with high grades but remain for more than ten years without jobs. These youths are still in search of jobs without giving up.
The apparent frustration faced by the jobless youths causes them to enroll in unsolicited post graduate programmes and become burden to their parents or guardians. This, nevertheless, does not alter the situation. For them life must go on unhindered, job or no job.
Undoubtedly, it was this same spirit that informed Nigerians’ rating as the happiest people in the world in a global survey conducted few years ago. What weighs down people in other countries and occasion them to terminate their lives, hardly has impacted on the average Nigerian given the same variables. Die-hard spirit you would call it, you can’t be wrong.
However, as there are advantages, to these personality traits, so are there disadvantage. But first, the advantages, just as the adage goes: “There is always the tunnel” so are there some sure rewards for one’s ability to persevere.
A case that readily comes to mind is that of Elijah and Elisha as recorded in the Holy Books. Elijah was Elisha’s master.
When it became clear to the latter that the former would soon be transfigured, he made sure they were in one accord. Even when Elijah repeatedly told Elisha to wait for him till his return from his journey, Elisha declined the offer and rather clung to his master, because he knew he was about to be blessed by his master, but o n one condition. The condition was that he must witness Elijah’s translation to heaven.
His perseverance, however, paid off as he was eventually rewarded with the double portion of his master’s anointing in a befitting proportion.
This is an example of what accompanies perseverance. Let me point out that as one perseveres, one must not lose focus. These qualities are pre-requisites to success. On the other hand, when perseverance is not regularly appraised and received it could lead to hallucination. Psychologists see it as something that could make one fixated both in thought and action.
Unfortunately, our leaders abuse these traits of the Nigerian. They interprete these resilience as weakness, docility and naivety. Is that not the reason corruption thrives as our leaders stare us in the face and stash the people’s money meant for development without question. Is that not why GSM service providers could afford to render poor services to Nigerians and the heavens do not fall? Is it not for the same reason the government has failed to fix the power problem of the nation many years after the inception of democracy?
But in the midst of these, I have one worry. If a global survey has rated Nigerians at 70 points for optimism and by contrast Britons deeply pessimistic 44, won’t we be denied aids or grants by the industrialised nations? This is because happiness presupposes contentment and if this logic can be sustained, won’t it mean that the Nigerian is at ease at home?
For the purposes of dialectics, abject poverty in which most Nigerians live and happiness ought to be universally related. But this is Nigeria where anything goes and usually contrary to established norms. This might be why the nation is seen as a summary of a wasted potentiality and extravagant opportunity.
If one looks harder, one may be tempted to conclude that a Nigerian’s optimism is misplaced. This is a country seen as a place where corruption thrives. The newspapers are filled with sensational allegations of croked officials and mind-boggling haul. Sectarian violence is steadily on the increase. Then, there is grading poverty. To cap it all, there are the advance fee “419” scams richly embedded in the business life of many citizens.
In the visage of these, what in the world makes Nigerians so happy, so optimistic and undoubting in spirit? It is the spirit of entrepreneurship which fuels their optimism.
A Yoruba proverb says: “Jimoh to ma I’oyin, Alamisi le yanma ti mo.” It translates as: “If Friday is to be sweet, you will know by Thursday.” It might not seem that Nigerians have much to be happy about, but they have already seen what Friday holds and this reinforces their resolve and ambition. This is the spirit of a true Nigerian. Let’s us not give up. God dey.
Arnold Alalibo
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