Nigerians decry backwardness
* ‘We export raw materials, import poverty,’ says Prof Ike
* Manufacturers demand productivity shift
* Barau, Kalu, others urge hope, faith for country
By Onu Okorie, Ahmed Akanbi, Hosea Parah (Abuja) and Donald Nduka (Owerri)
As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary today, Nigerians have lamented the backwardness when compared with the other nations of the world.
But there is still very much to live for as Nigerians have been urged to keep faith and be hopeful for the best.
Speaking on the anniversary, the Rector of West Africa Broadcast & Media Academy (WABMA), Professor Ken Ike, warned that Nigeria’s failure to develop industries around its abundant agricultural, petroleum and mineral resources has left the country trailing nations that began their independence journeys around the same period.
Ike, who spoke to Daily NewsCraft ahead of Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary, said the country’s economic challenges were less about a lack of resources and more about the failure of successive leaderships to convert those resources into productive capacity, jobs and wealth.
He cited Malaysia as a striking example of Nigeria’s lost economic opportunity, noting that Nigeria introduced oil palm cultivation to the country, but Malaysia has since developed a massive oil palm industry and now exports palm products to Nigeria.
“Those countries have left us behind, comparatively. Look at Malaysia, we introduced oil palm to them but today they are exporting oil to us. They are employing Nigerians in their farms,” he said.
According to him, Malaysia continues to expand its oil palm plantations by millions of hectares annually, while Nigeria has made little progress in expanding its plantations since the 1960s.
Ike described Nigeria’s economic performance since independence as a “mixed bag”, saying the country had recorded improvements in some areas but had also regressed in others.
He particularly criticised the failure to build domestic processing capacity around the country’s major raw materials, arguing that the continued export of crude oil, natural gas, agricultural commodities and solid minerals deprives Nigeria of the higher-value economic activities associated with processing and manufacturing.
“The oil money allowed us to create states to build up the infrastructure, particularly in some state capitals, but it is not the one that are critical,” he said.
He argued that the expansion from Nigeria’s former regional structure to 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory had significantly expanded bureaucracy and recurrent expenditure, while much of the system continued to depend on allocations from the centre.
According to him, the increase in earnings from crude oil and gas was not matched by investment in production and manufacturing.
“So we are not processing them to create the value that is needed. Instead, we are selling the raw crude. We are selling the raw natural gas,” he said.
Ike maintained that the absence of domestic value chains meant Nigeria was capturing only a fraction of the economic benefits embedded in its natural resources.
“Until you have a value chain that adds value, you cannot earn more than 10 per cent or 15 per cent in the value of the raw material you are sending out,” he said.
He argued that the same problem affected agricultural commodities and solid minerals, saying the country was effectively exporting employment opportunities alongside its raw materials.
“It’s exporting your jobs and importing poverty,” he said.
The professor highlighted cocoa, shea butter, cassava and yam as examples of the disconnect between Nigeria’s production capacity and its earnings from the global value chains.
He said Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire account for a substantial share of raw cocoa exports, but receive only a small portion of the value generated when cocoa is transformed into finished products such as chocolate.
Similarly, he said Nigeria’s substantial production of shea butter and cassava had not translated into commensurate value from processing and downstream industries.
Ike also pointed to the yam trade as another example of what he described as Nigeria’s inability to convert production strength into commercial advantage.
He said Nigeria accounts for a significant proportion of global yam production, yet other countries have developed stronger export channels for Nigerian yam.
For him, the central challenge is not the absence of resources but the failure to connect production, processing, manufacturing, financing and markets into integrated value chains.
“These are contradictions,” he said, arguing that government must deliberately create an environment that encourages value addition and industrialisation around commodities in which Nigeria has comparative production strength.
Ike warned that the consequences extend beyond economic statistics, particularly for Nigeria’s growing youth population.
He said failure to create productive industries and decent employment opportunities would undermine the economic future of young Nigerians who depend on jobs and businesses to build sustainable livelihoods.
“The young people who we are meddling with their future, these are the people who will use these jobs to make their own future,” he said.
He, therefore, called for leadership capable of identifying Nigeria’s structural economic problems and implementing policies that would transform the country from an exporter of raw materials into a producer of higher-value goods.
In his comments, renowned senior lawyer and political analyst, Barr Ngozi Olehi, SAN, accused the United Nations, UN, of aiding and abetting corruption, treasury looting and general misgovernance of Nigeria and other African countries by harbouring the corrupt and inept leaders under the guise of respecting sovereignty of member nations.
Addressing newsmen in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Wednesday, Olehi alleged that harbouring the loots of corrupt Nigerian politicians and offering their families residence, comfort and protection only to turn round to give humanitarian aids to citizens turned victims of terrible deprivations when naturally they should ordinarily bask in prosperity is the height of hypocrisy and wickedness.
He said, “It is sore that within Africa, Nigeria is a top three powerhouse for natural wealth, alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, which leads Africa in total mineral valuation while the third country similarly endowed is South Africa; all of which should have nothing to do with poverty and backwardness.”
The seasoned legal luminary stressed that the United Nations is not of much use particularly to a Nigerian in the multidimensional poverty bracket who is groaning under severe hardship and hunger.
He blamed the nation’s woes on monumental corruption and incompetence in governance by political leaders that developed nations still tolerate and grant diplomatic favours despite their obvious ineptitude.
Commenting on the just concluded 81st General Assembly of the United Nations in New York, USA, Olehi, said Nigeria is the 15th richest country in the world with an estimated $8 trillion in total natural resource value, sits comfortably in the global top tier for hydrocarbons and holds the 10th largest proven oil reserves globally with approximately 37 billion barrels as well the 8th largest natural gas reserves globally, approximately 209 trillion cubic feet but has more than 63% of its citizens as multidimensionally poor, subjected to severe hunger and hardship by political leaders who are looting the nation dry for investments in civilized countries.
”The United Nations has a duty to create conditions of stability and well-being which are necessary for peaceful and friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples pursuant to which the organization shall, promote higher standards of living, full employment, conditions of economic and social progress and development.
”It’s regretted that under its watch, hoodlums and other persons of questionable character who claim to be leaders have wreaked havoc on peaceful citizens, destroyed lives and livelihoods, and embezzled public funds and built castles in the West.
”The doctrine of sovereignty have been construed loosely to favour hard-hearted and power hungry leaders who have no development agenda or policy frameworks to improve the lot of their citizens to ascend to great heights of leadership only to turn round to oppress the weak and vulnerable, desecrate human rights and fundamental freedoms.
”I, therefore, call on United Nations to quickly evolve mechanisms that unleash martial or other forms of political interventions when leaders dismantle credible electoral systems to rig elections and plant themselves at the corridors of power,” he said.
Olehi stated that citizens are pained when their leaders, ‘laden’ with moral burdens, stink with corruption and have committed abominable political atrocities that have robbed the citizens of the dignity of their respect and human persons are accorded ‘respects’ because they have been used as tools of illicitly transferring economic wealth of their citizens to foreign predators just to acquire legitimacy and continue to defraud, oppress and humiliate their people under United Nations watch who do not want to intervene in the so called sovereign nations.
He contended that though the United Nations described the rule of law as involving accountability, transparency, civic participation, equality, separation of powers and protection against arbitrary government action, the Organization hobnobs with tyrant-leaders who virtually feast on the suffering of the people without using diplomatic or other international disciplinary actions to check such excesses and warned that it is impossible to have peace where there is no justice.
Speaking ahead of today’s anniversary, some stakeholders across the industrial sector called on the Federal Government to move beyond the macroeconomic stabilisation, and prioritise productivity, competitiveness and improved living standards.
The President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Leye Kupoluyi, stressed that improvements in key economic indicators must translate into lower production costs, stronger purchasing power, increased investment and job creation.
He noted that the government’s economic reform programme had delivered encouraging signs of macroeconomic stabilisation.
According to him, they include stronger real gross domestic product (GDP) growth, moderating inflation, improved external reserves, and greater stability in the foreign exchange market.
Kupoluyi also described the recent reduction in the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) to 23 per cent as a welcome signal of growing confidence in the disinflation process.
He, however, said macroeconomic stability must ultimately translate into improved welfare, stronger purchasing power, lower production costs and employment.
According to him, the critical test of the economic recovery is whether the gains from stabilisation can improve household welfare and business operating conditions.
He said despite declining inflation, the cost of essential goods and services remained beyond the reach of many households because prices had risen significantly over the past several years.
Kupoluyi said food, transportation, housing, healthcare, education and energy continue to absorb a large share of disposable income.
On businesses, he said high electricity and alternative energy costs, diesel, logistics, finance, imported raw materials, regulatory compliance and multiple taxes continued to constrain competitiveness.
He stated, “We call for complementary measures to ensure that the reduction in the MPR translates into more affordable credit, particularly for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and productive-sector businesses.”
The LCCI President also urged the National Credit Guarantee Company to facilitate greater access to credit for small businesses.
On manufacturing, Kupoluyi said the sector must become a major channel for converting economic growth into mass employment, higher productivity and improved household incomes.
He called for a comprehensive industrial competitiveness programme focused on reliable and affordable energy, long-term finance, predictable trade and tariff policies, local supply-chain development and industrial infrastructure.
“We need to produce more in Nigeria, employ more Nigerians, and reduce the country’s dependence on imported goods,” he said.
Similarly, Chief Executive Officer, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises (CPPE), Muda Yusuf, said Nigeria’s economic transformation remained incomplete because the country had diversified what it produced more than what it exported.
Yusuf said while the economy had recorded important reforms and investments in sectors such as telecommunications, banking, cement, fertiliser and refining, productivity remained constrained by infrastructure deficits, insecurity, costly power and logistics.
He said real GDP growth rose from 3.38 per cent in 2024 to 3.87 per cent in 2025 and reached 4.43 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026.
He also noted that headline inflation stood at 15.39 per cent in August, while the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reduced its policy rate to 23 per cent in September.
“While these gains provide a stronger foundation, they have yet to translate sufficiently into relief for households and firms,” Yusuf said.
He urged the government to prioritise power supply, security along farming and commercial corridors, ports and logistics, agricultural productivity, industrial competitiveness and enterprise-focused skills.
Yusuf said support for industry should be tied to investment, efficiency and export performance, with the objective of reducing the cost of production and expanding the supply of affordable goods and services.
He also stressed the need for coordinated action by the three tiers of government, saying the benefits of national reforms would ultimately be realised where people live and businesses operate.
Yusuf said the federal government should sustain macroeconomic stability and address national security, power and transport priorities.
“The state and local governments should improve infrastructure and reduce the levies and administrative burdens confronting businesses.
“The ultimate measure of reform should be reflected in lower transport and production costs, higher farm yields, reliable public services and more productive jobs,” he said.
Meanwhile, an industrialist, Funlayo Bakare-Okeowo, said the reported growth in the broader economy had yet to translate into commensurate growth for existing manufacturers.
“The GDP is growing, agreed, but why is it not reflected in the manufacturing sector?” she noted.
Ms Bakare-Okeowo said factories were closing while existing manufacturers were struggling to expand, noting that much of the new factory investment appeared to be coming from foreign investors.
She called for more deliberate government intervention in the manufacturing sector, particularly through improved access to affordable finance.
According to her, manufacturers have struggled to access funds from development finance institutions (DFIs) in spite of continued advertisements inviting businesses to apply for loans.
“For the past two years, no one has been able to borrow from them, yet they continue to advertise that manufacturers should come and borrow,” she said.
Ms Bakare-Okeowo described the situation as unacceptable, urging government-owned DFIs to address the constraints preventing them from effectively financing manufacturers.
She also questioned the ability of manufacturers to sustainably access commercial credit at double-digit interest rates.
“Can any manufacturer borrow at this double digit?” she asked.
The industrialist, therefore, called for a more intentional government approach to addressing the financing and operating challenges confronting manufacturers.
Ms Bakare-Okeowo said the focus should not only be on attracting new factories but also on enabling existing manufacturers to survive, reinvest and expand their capacity.
She said strengthening existing industrial capacity was critical to creating jobs, deepening local supply chains and reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported goods.
“Manufacturing is the bedrock of every economy,” Ms Bakare-Okeowo said.
But the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, has urged Nigerians to urges renew their faith in Nigeria, saying that President Bola Tinubu is committed to a stronger nation.
Barau made the appeal in his anniversary message issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir.
Barau said Nigerians must reflect on the nation’s journey and uphold the ideals of unity, peace and development that guided the founding fathers.
”Fellow Nigerians, I warmly felicitate with you on the occasion of our 66th Independence Anniversary. We must remember the enormous sacrifices made by our founding fathers and all those who contributed to the struggle for Nigeria’s independence,” he said.
He noted that despite challenges, Nigeria has made significant progress in 66 years, adding that with unity of purpose and resilience, the country will overcome its present difficulties and emerge stronger.
The Deputy Senate President urged Nigerians to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and cooperate with the administration’s policies and programmes.
”With the cooperation of Nigerians, we will build a stronger, more prosperous and more secure nation. This is a time to remain hopeful and committed to the task of nation-building,” he said.
Barau, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, reiterated the National Assembly’s commitment to providing legislative backing to address national challenges.
He said the State Police Bill currently before State Houses of Assembly, when passed and assented to by the President, will strengthen internal security.
”We will continue to work with the Executive, within the framework of the Constitution, to provide the necessary legislative support for policies that promote economic growth, security and improved living conditions,” he added.
He wished Nigerians a peaceful and memorable anniversary celebration.
Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, has congratulated Nigerians on the country’s 66th Independence Anniversary, urging citizens to renew their faith in the Nigerian project.
Similarly, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Benjamin Kalu, has called on Nigerians to remain hopeful and committed to nation-building.
Deputy Speaker message was contained in a Press statement signed by Levinus Nwabughiogu, his Chief Press Secretary, and made available to journalists in Abuja yesterday.
The Deputy Speaker, who represents Bende Federal Constituency in Abia State, said the occasion should renew patriotism and faith in the country.
The statement read in parts: “I warmly congratulate our dear President, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and Nigerians at home and abroad on the occasion of our nation’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
”Today, we celebrate the journey of our great nation, the resilience of our people, and the enduring spirit that continues to bind us together as one indivisible country.
”As we mark 66 years of independence, let us remain hopeful about Nigeria’s future and committed to building a nation where peace, unity, opportunity and prosperity are accessible to all.”
Kalu also lauded the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration, noting that its bold reforms and transformative initiatives have continued to lay the foundation for a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria.
He urged patience and collective responsibility, expressing confidence that current sacrifices will yield a better tomorrow.
”The bold reforms and transformative initiatives of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu under the Renewed Hope Agenda continue to lay the foundation for a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria.
”With patience, perseverance and collective responsibility, I am confident that the sacrifices of today will yield a better tomorrow. Our diversity is our strength. Our resilience is our identity. And our shared love for Nigeria remains the bond that unites us”, Kalu said.
Kalu prayed that the anniversary would inspire all citizens to play their part in building the Nigeria of their dreams.
Also, the Managing Director of Independent Television and Radio, Engineer Elves Obaseki, stated this during the 2026 ITV and Radio Pre-Independence Lecture, which took place at Ehizua Hub and Event Centre, along Airport road, Benin City, Edo State capital.
In his welcome address, Obaseki urged Nigerians to join a renewed commitment to revive the Nigerian dream and ensure that from ballot to better life, 2027 delivers good governance to the ordinary Nigerian.
”We should ask ourselves: what kind of Nigeria do we want to bequeath to our children? A Nigeria where the dream is valid for all, not just for a few? A Nigeria where our vote brings hope, security and justice? A Nigeria where the youth can dream and achieve? The answer lies with us all; the government, the governed, our civil societies and the media.”
The guest Speaker, Femi Falana (SAN), delivering his lecture on the topic: ‘The Nigerian Dream: Still valid or dead In arrival’ with the theme: ‘From ballot to better life, what should 2027 actually deliver’, said the struggle for the Nigeria Independence was hard and as a result, no city in the country can boast of freedom fighters like Chief Anthony Enahoro, Michael Imuodu who did all their best to ensuring that the freedom of human right was fought for.
According to him, “The independence of Nigeria, the struggle was not won on a platter of gold. Here today, I am going to chanel such meaningful knowledge of the struggle of our people. And no other city in Nigeria, from my study can boast of haven produced freedom fighters as much as Edo State that led the Nigerian people to demand for independence before 1960.
“What is the Nigerian dream? For some people, it is the hope of owning a house. For others, it is the opportunity to secure good education, obtain gainful employment, establish a successful business, raise a family in safety and dignity, or simply live a life in which hard work is rewarded with a reasonable standard of living.
“For the young Nigerian, it may be the hope of building a successful career without having to leave the country in search of opportunity. For the farmer, it may mean having access to land, infrastructure, markets and security, so that you can go to your farm without kidnappers harassing you in the land.
Adding that, For the entrepreneur, it may mean operating a business without having to navigate unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles. On film, the success of a business depends more upon political connections rather than enterprise. The Nigerian dream is the belief that Nigeria can become a country in which citizenship is not a disadvantage as it is now.
According to him, “It is the belief that a young Nigerian can wake up in the morning and believe that peace or a future is not predetermined by corruption, insecurity, poverty, unemployment, discrimination or political connections. It is ultimately a dream of dignity, opportunity, justice and accountable government. And that dream is not an unreasonable one.”
Concluding, the Guest Speaker, Femi Falana (SAN), stated that there is need for Child Right Law which he said would assist the children of the poor.
He urged all to ask question as those in government have no right to keep or hold on to information. “You must have the right to ask question and if anyone does not allow you to ask question, let us know,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has declared today (Thursday, October 1, 2026) a public holiday to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, and congratulated Nigerians at home and abroad on the anniversary.
In a statement issued by the Ministry’s permanent secretary, Dr Magdalene Ajani on Wednesday, September 30, the minister described Nigeria’s human and natural resources as significant assets that contribute to the country’s potential for prosperity.
Tunji-Ojo stressed the importance of peace and stability to national development and called on Nigerians to emulate the nation’s founding fathers by demonstrating patriotism and working towards building a better country for future generations.
He said, “As we celebrate 66th years of our independence, we should always remember that there is hope for our country and our diversity is our strength, and our collective determination remains the foundation upon which a stronger and more prosperous nation will be built.”
Tunji-Ojo assured Nigerians that the federal government, through the Renewed Hope Agenda, remains committed to improving the lives of citizens and honouring the contributions of the nation’s past heroes.
The minister also urged citizens to use the Independence Day celebration as an opportunity to promote unity, patriotism, peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.
He further assured Nigerians that the Federal Government remains committed to strengthening national security, improving public safety and creating an environment where citizens can live, work and pursue their legitimate aspirations with confidence.