Nigerians express views on democratic growth, impact across sectors
Lagos, June 2026 (TBL Africa) As Nigeria celebrates Democracy Day on Friday, some citizens have expressed different views on the growth and impact of the system of government since its return to Nigeria in 1999.
While some said that Nigeria’s democracy had deepened, other stressed that much should still be done.
They spoke in interviews in Lagos.
On politics and national integration, the Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Lagos State Chapter, Mr Ibrahim Adigun, said Nigeria’s democracy had achieved significant growth.
According to him, every election cycle has strengthened democratic institutions and encouraged broader participation in governance in spite of challenges.
He noted that democracy thrived on citizens’ freedom to express opinions and elect leaders, acknowledging that Nigeria’s democratic journey had not been free of obstacles.
The NYCN chairman said the country had made notable progress in fostering unity among its diverse ethnic and religious groups.
He emphasised the need to continue building trust, empathy and understanding across communities.
Adigun advocated greater inclusion of minority groups in political leadership and governance, saying that every Nigerian should have a sense of belonging regardless of tribe, religion or ethnicity.
He commended efforts aimed at reducing divisive sentiments and advancing national integration.
According to him, leadership positions should increasingly be based on competence and capacity rather than ethnic or regional considerations.
On security and socio-conomic challenges, Adigun urged the citizens to embrace patriotism, love and unity as key solutions.
He said that security challenges could only be effectively addressed when Nigerians would work together with a shared commitment to national development.
He called on all Nigerians to contribute toward building a stronger, more united and prosperous nation.
A constitutional lawyer and social commentator, Mr Jide Ologun, said the ideals of the June 12, 1993, presidential election remained largely unrealised, 33 years after.
He urged governments to translate hope into tangible benefits for citizens.
According to him, the vision embodied in the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola’s Hope ’93 manifesto has yet to find full expression in Nigeria’s democratic experience.
“In my expression, HOPE means Helping the People Prosper, Opportunities for Prosperity, Protection of Lives and Properties, and Enhancing the Fortunes of the People,” he said.
NAN reports that Abiola was the acclaimed winner of the 1993 Presidential Election.
Ologun described June 12, 1993, as a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic history and a reminder of the sacrifices made in the struggle for civilian rule.
According to him, the election remains widely acknowledged as the freest and fairest in the country’s history.
“Abiola’s 1993 manifesto under the Social Democratic Party focused on eradicating poverty through rural development, economic liberalisation and free education.”
He acknowledged ongoing reforms by President Bola Tinubu’s administration but said that many Nigerians had yet to feel the positive impact.
“The constitutional benchmark is clear: the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.
” Nigeria faces a volatile security situation with high risks of terrorism, kidnapping and violent crime,” he said.
The lawyer also expressed concern about economic hardship in the country.
A political scientist, Prof. Odion Akhaine, said that Nigeria’s uninterrupted democratic rule since 1999 represented a significant achievement considering the country’s history of military rule.
“On the quantitative side, Nigeria has enjoyed civil rule from 1999 to date, spanning about 27 years.
“That is something positive, given that Nigeria has been a coup-prone country,” Akhaine, of the Department of Political Science, Lagos State University, told NAN.
The political scientist, however, said that the gains recorded over the years were largely quantitative rather than qualitative.
He said elections conducted since 1999 had fallen short of the standards.
He also regretted poor living conditions of the citizens as well as insecurity and its effects on agriculture and education.
He said Nigeria’s democracy was not consolidating due to weaknesses within key democratic institutions.
According to him, political parties, which ought to serve as the engine room of democracy, have failed to develop into strong and enduring institutions.
“We continue to see emergence of new political parties at every electoral cycle.
“This is an indication that our democracy is deconsolidating rather than consolidating,” he said.
On judiciary, Akhaine said that public confidence in the institution had declined due to allegations of questionable rulings and judgments.
The political scientist further expressed concern over the ownership structure of the media, arguing that increasing involvement of politicians in media ownership had affected the ability of the press to independently shape national discourse.
“The social media space has provided citizens with alternative platforms to report events and hold public officials accountable,” he said.
To strengthen democracy, he called for creation of opportunities for more honest, patriotic and competent Nigerians to occupy public offices.
He also advocated constitutional reforms that would enable Nigeria to function more effectively as a federation.
Akhaine urged political parties to build resilient and development-oriented structures capable of deepening democratic culture.
He also called on the judiciary to uphold integrity and resist actions capable of undermining public confidence in the institution.
The political scientist expressed optimism that Nigeria’s democracy could still be strengthened with the commitment of political leaders, democratic institutions and citizens to accountability, transparency and good governance.
Mr Kehinde Nubi, Principal Partner at Kehinde Nubi and Co., noted that Nigeria had successfully conducted seven general elections since 1999, including power transfer from an incumbent government to an opposition party.
Nubi, however, said the nation’s democracy remained weakened by institutional incompetence, lack of accountability, vote-buying and voter apathy.
According to him, politicians often act with impunity, while electoral offenders and perpetrators of political violence are rarely held accountable.
Nubi said technological reforms such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System had not delivered full benefits due to poor implementation.
He urged the Federal Government to implement the recommendations of the Justice Muhammadu Uwais Electoral Reform Committee to strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) independence.
Nubi also called for establishment of an electoral offences commission to help to check irregularities in future elections.
Similarly, Mr Ademola Owolabi of Adetokunbo Ademola Chambers, Apapa, Lagos, said Nigeria had largely practised democratic procedures, but lacked its true spirit.
Owolabi said that democracy meant more than just holding periodic elections, or having elected officials occupy public offices.
”Democracy is not just a process; it is a societal culture of inclusive governance that must be imbibed by both leaders and the led,” Owolabi said.
He expressed concern over frequent election litigations and defection of elected public office holders to other political parties.
According to him, such defections weaken public confidence in the democratic process and undermine representative governance.
Owolabi said that true democracy must promote absolute respect for constitutional processes and the ultimate will of the electorate.
Another lawyer, Mr Vincent Aminu of A.F. Aminu and Co. Ibadan, commended the nation’s civilian rule but said that challenges persisted.
He said that efforts to improve Nigeria’s democracy must tackle political and institutional corruption, flawed elections and insecurity.
Aminu advised that poverty should be reduced through economic diversification and sustainable job creation.
“Security can be strengthened by improving law enforcement through providing better training, equipment and motivation for law enforcement agencies,” he said.
On agriculture, some stakeholders praised successive democratic governments for policies and interventions that contributed to the growth of the sector since 1999.
The Acting Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Lagos Chapter, Mr Sakin Agbayewa, said democratic administrations had recorded notable achievements in agriculture compared to the military era.
According to him, the military era was characterised by heavy dependence on food imports, unlike the democratic period which has witnessed deliberate efforts to boost local production.
Agbayewa said the civilian administrations of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and retired Gen. Muhammadu Buhari implemented agricultural transformation initiatives that focused on fertiliser subsidy, dry-season farming and increased local production.
He described the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme introduced under Buhari’s administration as a major intervention that boosted rice production and provided loans to farmers.
Agbayewa also commended the current administration for prioritising agricultural input support and implementing programmes aimed at enhancing food production.
He highlighted the National Agricultural Growth Scheme with focus on key crops such as rice, maize, soybean and cassava.
According to him, the administration has also supported wheat farmers through fertiliser distribution under the National Agricultural Development Fund led by AFAN National President, Mr Muhammad Mogaji.
“We rate the democratic era highly in the agriculture sector and hope the interventions will be sustained,” he said.
A poultry farmer in Ojo, Lagos State, Mr Emmanuel Iregbeyen, praised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for efforts aimed at improving food security and agricultural development.
He said the cost of farm inputs had reduced significantly compared to the situation in previous years, helping farmers to lower production costs.
Iregbeyen said that prices of some food commodities and poultry feed ingredients such as maize, soybean and groundnut cake, had moderated in recent months.
He, however, urged the Federal Government to further improve security to encourage more farmers to return to farming activities.
“We will score the government high in the agriculture sector, especially in the poultry sub-sector, but more can still be done,” he said.
An agricultural analyst, Mr Omotunde Banjoko, said although Nigeria had recorded some progress in the sector, more efforts would be needed to achieve sustainable agricultural growth.
Banjoko said the impact of government policies should be measured by their effects on food affordability and citizens’ welfare.
According to him, the reduction in prices of some commodities has been driven largely by importation, which may not provide a sustainable solution to food security challenges.
He said Nigeria possessed the land, technology and human resources needed to achieve greater agricultural productivity but had yet to maximise them.
The analyst attributed the challenge partly to policy inconsistency and inadequate implementation of agricultural programmes.
He also said that budgets for agriculture in most states remained below two per cent, stressing the need for increased investment in the sector.
Banjoko, however, acknowledged some positive developments, including importation and distribution of tractors under the Federal Government’s mechanisation programme, and fertiliser subsidies provided by some state governments.
AfricanFarmer Mogaji, a food security expert, said that inconsistent agricultural policies had prevented Nigeria from achieving sustainable agricultural productivity and food security in spite of 27 years of democratic governance.
Mogaji said successive administrations had failed to establish enduring structures and systems capable of improving productivity, efficiency and value addition across agricultural value chains.
“Since 1999, agricultural productivity and national food security have not been sustained.
“We have not been able to put structures and systems in place to improve productivity, mechanise farming or add value through cottage processing.
“Everything has been more interest-based than system-based.
“One administration focuses on cassava, another on tomato, coconut or maize, only to abandon such initiatives before they mature,” Mogaji said.
The expert argued that government policies had largely concentrated on food production rather than food security, noting that the two concepts were different.
He explained that food production focused mainly on increasing output, while food security required a comprehensive ecosystem that would address production, processing, logistics, communication and market access.
He urged that communication should be integrated into food security planning from the beginning.
“Consistent messaging can influence productivity, adoption of innovations and public participation.
“Right now, the media is largely used to publicise government intentions rather than being part of the system that drives food security,” Mogaji said.
He added that inadequate attention to processing and logistics had continued to undermine efforts to improve food availability and affordability.
He said logistics alone accounted for between 30 per cent and 40 per cent of production costs, yet remained one of the most neglected areas in agricultural planning.
Mogaji urged policymakers to focus on building complete value-chain ecosystems capable of delivering long-term benefits to farmers, processors and consumers.
On tourism and culture, the President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Dr Aliyu Badaki, called for stronger execution of infrastructure projects, institutional reforms and tourism-focused policies to deepen democratic gains and unlock the country’s tourism potential.
Badaki said that Democracy Day celebration provided an opportunity to reflect on how governance outcomes affected sectors such as tourism and to reposition the industry as a contributor to national growth and inclusion.
While assessing democratic consolidation since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in 2023 and its impact on the tourism industry, Badaki said democratic governance had created room for policy conversations and renewed attention to development priorities.
He, however, said the tourism sector still required deliberate action and implementation to translate opportunities into measurable growth.
According to him, infrastructure delivery and regional development initiatives could play a defining role in opening up destinations and stimulating domestic travel.
The FTAN president said tourism remained one of the sectors capable of creating jobs, supporting small businesses and strengthening cultural and economic integration if given greater policy attention.
“Governments should make tourism a priority with improved budgetary allocations.
“There should be resuscitation of the Presidential Council of Tourism.
“This will lay a solid foundation in the areas of policy, laws, planning, structure and implementation that will grow the industry,” he told NAN.
Badaki also called for measures to encourage investment by private operators and improve operating conditions across the tourism value chain.
“Efforts should also be made to reduce security challenges in the country and improve transportation systems and infrastructure that will encourage easy access to the various tourism destinations,” he said.
Mr Easter Evbodaghe, Curator of the National Gallery of Art (NGA), said Nigeria’s democratic journey had contributed significantly to the growth of the arts, culture and tourism sectors.
According to him, democratic administrations have increasingly recognised the importance of culture and the creative economy as tools for national development, job creation and international engagement.
He said that recent appointments of younger professionals to strategic positions in cultural agencies had brought renewed energy, innovation and stronger stakeholder engagement within the sector.
“Today, we have vibrant and experienced professionals leading major cultural institutions, and this has created new opportunities for growth across the arts and culture ecosystem,” he said.
Evbodaghe said that partnerships between government agencies, international organisations and private institutions had improved under the current democratic dispensation.
He cited ongoing collaborations involving the NGA, museums and international cultural organisations aimed at preserving artworks, strengthening institutional capacity and promoting Nigerian culture globally.
The curator said one of the major gains of democracy was the growing recognition of culture as an economic asset capable of attracting investment and boosting tourism.
According to him, government support for cultural festivals and tourism-driven events has increased local and international interest in Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage.
He noted that festivals across various states were attracting visitors and creating economic opportunities for artisans, performers, traders and hospitality operators.
Evbodaghe, however, expressed concern over gradual decline of some indigenous cultural practices, warning that many traditions could disappear if there would not be deliberate efforts to preserve them.
He said urbanisation, changing social values and declining participation among younger generations were threatening several indigenous festivals, dances and cultural expressions.
According to him, many communities remain custodians of unique cultural assets that can contribute significantly to tourism development if properly promoted and sustained.
“Preservation of indigenous cultural heritage strengthens national identity and creates tourism opportunities capable of generating revenue and employment for local communities,” he said.
Evbodaghe called on governments to establish policies and programmes that would encourage communities to sustain traditional festivals and cultural practices.
He also advocated organisation of cultural competitions, exhibitions and community-based festivals to increase participation and preserve endangered traditions.
The curator identified inadequate funding as one of the major challenges limiting the growth of the visual arts sector in spite of progress recorded under democratic governance.
He said stronger collaboration among cultural institutions, private organisations and development partners would help to address funding gaps and support long-term sustainability.
He called for increased investment in cultural infrastructure, including establishment of a world-class national gallery capable of attracting international visitors.
Evbodaghe stressed that the arts and culture sector could also serve as a platform for youth engagement, skills development and job creation if given adequate attention.
According to him, investment in visual arts, cultural education and creative enterprises would help to unlock opportunities for young Nigerians and reduce vices.
Evbodaghe expressed optimism that sustained democratic governance, strategic partnerships and increased support for cultural institutions would accelerate the sector’s contribution to national development.
He urged policymakers to continue strengthening cultural policies and programmes to ensure that the benefits of democracy would reflect in the preservation and promotion of Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage.
