The unveiling of the National Agenda for Tinubu 2027 (NAFT.27) may have been presented as a policy advocacy and public enlightenment initiative, but it raises serious questions about Nigeria’s political priorities at a time when the country is grappling with deepening crises. While its promoters argue that the platform is focused on consolidating reforms and explaining the “Renewed Hope Agenda,” many Nigerians are struggling to see the hope in their daily realities.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not supposed to be the centre of any 2027 agenda. Beyond the constitutional question of performance, there is a moral and generational argument to be made, Nigeria needs rest from recycled leadership. At his age, President Tinubu should be preparing for retirement, not being projected for another term in office. Leadership is not a lifetime entitlement, and governance should not be reduced to political continuity at all costs.
More importantly, the lived experience of Nigerians under the Tinubu administration tells a story that sharply contrasts with the glowing scorecards being promoted by NAFT.27. Insecurity remains widespread, with killings, banditry, kidnappings, and communal violence continuing across many parts of the country. Nigerians travel on some of the worst roads in decades, while vital infrastructure projects remain abandoned or poorly executed. The cost of living has skyrocketed, pushing millions deeper into poverty, while wages remain stagnant.
The administration’s economic reforms, particularly fuel subsidy removal and currency policies, may be defended in theory, but in practice they have imposed severe hardship without adequate cushioning mechanisms. For many Nigerians, these reforms feel rushed, poorly managed, and disconnected from the realities of everyday survival. Explaining policies does not automatically make them successful, nor does it absolve leaders from the responsibility of their outcomes.
The claim that Tinubu’s tenure has delivered more gains than losses is difficult to justify when pressing national issues appear neglected. Public funds continue to be spent lavishly on governance, while hospitals, schools, and security agencies remain underfunded. Citizens are constantly urged to be patient, yet patience has become a substitute for accountability. A government cannot continually ask for understanding while ignoring the urgency of suffering.
NAFT.27 also frames its mission as countering “misinformation” and correcting negative perceptions about leadership. However, Nigerians do not need guided tours or enlightenment campaigns to understand their situation. Hunger, insecurity, unemployment, and failing public services are not stereotypes they are daily experiences. Attempting to repackage governance failures as perception problems risks widening the trust gap between the government and the people.
Nigeria is at a critical crossroads. What the country needs is not early campaigning for 2027, but honest reflection, responsive leadership, and a clear exit plan that allows new ideas and younger leadership to emerge. Persisting with the same political actors while expecting different outcomes only deepens public cynicism.
President Tinubu has had his moment in history. Rather than pushing a continuity agenda that many Nigerians neither feel nor support, he should focus on addressing the urgent challenges of his remaining tenure and allow the country to move forward. Nigeria deserves leadership that prioritizes the present suffering of its people over future political ambitions.
In the end, governance is not about slogans or agendas it is about impact. And for many Nigerians today, the impact of this administration has been more pain than progress.
