by Emmannuella Opara | September 29th 2026
KEY POINTS
• Stakeholders in Niger, Nasarawa and Kogi cite roads, economic reforms, agriculture, education, healthcare, power and security among areas of development under the Tinubu administration.
• They say reforms have also brought pressure through higher transport and food costs, inflation and other economic difficulties.
• The stakeholders call for sustained investment, better implementation of projects, improved security and wider economic opportunities.
MAIN STORY
Infrastructure projects, economic reforms and investments in sectors such as agriculture, education, power and solid minerals have featured prominently in assessments by stakeholders in Niger, Nasarawa and Kogi of Nigeria’s development under President Bola Tinubu.
The stakeholders, who spoke separately to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) ahead of the country’s 66th Independence Anniversary, also pointed to persistent economic hardship and insecurity as areas requiring greater government attention.
Their assessment was therefore not limited to government policies or projects, but also focused on how those measures were translating into changes for residents, businesses and communities.
In Niger, public analyst and security expert Dr Abdullahi Jabi said some of the administration’s economic measures were beginning to yield results.
He pointed to the foreign exchange market reforms and said the naira had become more stable than it was immediately after the currency was floated.
Jabi also cited improvements in public sector remuneration, particularly for security personnel, as well as federal road projects and the coastal road.
Beyond infrastructure, he identified the Nigerian Education Loan Fund as a measure capable of widening access to higher education for students from poorer households.
He said signs of improvement in electricity supply and a gradual recovery among small and medium-scale enterprises were also noteworthy.
However, Jabi said the gains had come alongside considerable pressure on citizens. He urged government to strengthen support for vulnerable Nigerians and expand vocational training that could provide alternatives to begging, illegal mining and other activities associated with criminality.
He also called for stronger cooperation between government and stakeholders in northern Nigeria to confront insecurity and socio-economic problems.
Jabi said the removal of the petrol subsidy could free resources for development, but argued that cheaper domestic refining would be necessary to ease some of the resulting cost pressures. He urged government to ensure that local refineries could obtain crude at competitive prices.
In Nasarawa, the effects of fiscal reforms were linked by stakeholders to the state’s ability to finance public spending.
Public affairs analyst Bala John said increased allocations following changes to the subsidy and foreign exchange regimes had given the Nasarawa Government greater room to fund projects and meet obligations to workers and pensioners.
He also identified developments in the solid minerals sector and proposed changes to the security architecture, including state police and additional Army formations, as areas with potential implications for the state.
The mining sector was similarly identified as a source of new economic activity. Dr Aminu Bello, an Economics lecturer at the Federal University of Lafia, said the formalisation of artisanal mining and the push for local processing had attracted investment and created jobs.
But he said the removal of the fuel subsidy had also raised transport costs and contributed to higher food prices. Government interventions such as CNG buses and state palliatives, he noted, had provided some relief.
At the household level, Mrs Grace Obey, a trader at Lafia Modern Market, said inflation was making business more difficult. She nevertheless acknowledged improved electricity supply and cash-transfer programmes as helpful to some families.
Road infrastructure was another area where stakeholders reported tangible changes. Journalist and Keffi resident Mr Francis Nansak said the dualisation of the Keffi-Abuja Road had shortened journeys, improved safety and reduced vehicle maintenance costs.
In Kogi, attention centred on the relationship between infrastructure and economic activity.
Legal practitioner Mr Taiye Alabi said federal road projects, including work on the Abuja-Lokoja Expressway and the Abaji-Koton Karfe section, were important for moving people, farm produce and goods between Kogi, Abuja and other parts of the country.
He also cited emergency rehabilitation on the Itobe-Ayingba Road but warned that delays in some federal road projects showed the need for better funding, implementation and maintenance.
Agriculture stakeholders in the state also pointed to unfinished infrastructure as an opportunity that could have wider economic consequences.
Mrs Tomilayo Olajide-Gbadebo of Kabba-Bunu said effective use of the Odo-Ape Dam could expand irrigation farming across about 700 hectares, benefit more than 2,800 farmers, create employment and increase rural incomes.
Security remained a common concern across the three states.
Idris Abdul, Executive Director of Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, said security interventions would have limited impact if underlying socio-economic pressures were not addressed.
He identified poverty, unemployment, inequality, corruption and political exclusion among factors requiring attention alongside conventional security measures. He also called for better coordination between governments and security agencies and improved information sharing.
Musa Bakare, a member of the Tinubu Support Group in Kogi, said the administration’s changes in fuel pricing, foreign exchange, taxation, education, power, infrastructure and security represented significant structural measures.
He argued that their impact needed to be considered from both the immediate difficulties experienced by citizens and their longer-term economic consequences.
Across the three states, the stakeholders called for continued investment in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, industrialisation and human capital, while urging government to improve security, create more economic opportunities and ensure that public projects are effectively implemented.
They also urged Nigerians to use the Independence Anniversary as an opportunity to reflect on the country’s progress and challenges and renew their commitment to peace, unity and development.
THE ISSUES
- The stakeholders identified developments across several sectors, but their assessments also show that the benefits of reforms are being experienced alongside economic pressures. Higher transportation and food costs, inflation and difficulties faced by businesses remain significant concerns.
- Infrastructure emerged as a recurring measure of development, with stakeholders citing federal road projects in the three states. They also pointed to delays, funding constraints and maintenance as issues that could affect the long-term value of such investments.
- The stakeholders linked economic development to security, employment and human capital. Their calls for vocational training, agricultural investment, industrialisation and stronger security coordination reflect concerns that economic opportunities and social stability need to advance alongside physical infrastructure.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“The unification of the foreign exchange market has contributed to improved stability of the naira compared with the period shortly after the currency was floated.” — Dr Abdullahi Jabi, public analyst and security expert.
“The reforms have produced mixed effects on citizens.” — Dr Aminu Bello, Economics lecturer, Federal University of Lafia.
“Poverty, unemployment, inequality, corruption and political exclusion should be addressed alongside security measures to tackle violent extremism and other threats to national stability.” — Idris Abdul, Executive Director, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution.
“The impact of the reforms should be assessed in terms of both their immediate difficulties and longer-term effects on the economy.” — Musa Bakare, member, Tinubu Support Group in Kogi.
WHAT’S NEXT
The stakeholders called for sustained investment in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, industrialisation and human capital, alongside effective implementation and maintenance of public projects.
They also urged stronger action on insecurity, unemployment and the cost of living, while calling for greater economic opportunities for citizens.
BOTTOM LINE
Stakeholders across Niger, Nasarawa and Kogi identified developments under the Tinubu administration while acknowledging the economic difficulties that have accompanied some reforms. Their assessment points to the need for continued investment and stronger implementation to translate policy and infrastructure gains into broader economic and social benefits.
