Bola Tinubu: Is Nigeria on the right track after a year of his presidency?

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The reforms were also aimed at boosting the confidence of foreign investors. The amount of investment money flowing into the country reached a peak just over a decade ago and has been relatively low since then.

“I believe things are beginning to pick up in terms of foreign investment in the country due to the government’s economic policies,” says Victor Aluyi, senior vice-president of financial firm Sankore.

“The improvements are not massive but there are improvements nonetheless compared to when things were really low in the past years.”

One of the other big challenges facing the president in his first year in power was security, with violent attacks and abductions plaguing parts of the country under his predecessor.

When it came to kidnapping, the north-west of the country was particularly badly hit. But from a peak at the beginning of last year up to March, the number of incidents of abductions fell in the region, according to Acled, which monitors conflict and violence.

Nevertheless, two high-profile mass abductions in March and another one last week in different parts of the country have shown that more needs to be done to ensure people’s safety.

The government has defended its record.

Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru recently said that security forces had killed over 9,300 “bandits” and insurgents while 7,000 had been arrested in the past year.

As for the battle against corruption, the president has come in for some praise.

“So far, the Tinubu-led administration, has not been quiet over the issue and has displayed the political will to confront the hydra-headed monster,” says Kola Adeyemi chairman of NGO Anti-Corruption Awareness.

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The suspension in January of Humanitarian Affairs Minister Betta Edu over the alleged diversion of public money was seen as a bold move. An investigation is under way and the minister has denied any wrongdoing.

A former top official from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, speaking to the BBC on condition of anonymity, says that the president needs to do more despite good early signs.

“Corruption has been a huge problem for decades so it will be unfair to score him based on a year in office – a lot needs to be done to wipe it out.”

In all areas of policy, the administration will insist that more time is needed for the people to feel the benefits if its policies.

But for Mr Sheka the bread-seller, time is running out.

“If things don’t improve economically then I’ll either get something else alongside this to bring in more money or abandon bread-selling altogether and find something else to do as there are needs to take care of.”


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