ν FG must revive manufacturing, energy sectors, others-Economists ν He should tackle hunger, return economy to pre-May 2023 – Northern, M’Belt groups ν What Tinubu must do for South East, Nigeria – Ohanaeze, ADF
From Magnus Eze, Vincent Kalu and Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
As Nigeria enters 2025, the call for decisive actions to restore the country’s fortunes has never been more urgent. Different groups and development experts.
How president can revive economy – Economists
Economic and development experts have called for a more strategic approach by President Bola Tinubu to revive the economy and save it from complete collapse.
According to Dr. Chijioke Ekechukwu, former Director-General of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and CEO of Dignity Finance, Tinubu must focus on harnessing the country’s abundant resources to generate revenue, reduce reliance on imports, and sustain the economy. Ekechukwu argued that tapping into this sector could significantly boost foreign reserves and generate much-needed foreign currency.

He said: “Nigeria is a country that is blessed with a lot of resources, human, material, and others. So if we do not have enough revenue to fund our budget, what we need to do as a country is just to identify what resources that we have that will actually give us revenue to fund our budget and to sustain our economy. We need to harness our excess gas deposits, have enough of it and utilise it and export it.

“The foreign reserves of this country can actually triple if we utilise the gas reserves that we have and harness it and then export. A lot of revenue can be generated from that area in foreign currency. The solid mineral sector is one sector that has not been harnessed at all. We are still scratching it and so we need to build some traction in the solid mineral sector and have enough revenue coming from that area.”

He also stressed the importance of revitalising Nigeria’s manufacturing sector, which he described as critical to the nation’s economic prosperity. He said that challenges posed by energy shortages, particularly power supply issues, are major hindrances to industrial growth, noting that these too must be addressed.
“The manufacturing sector must get back to its position. It is a very paramount position, because every country that has done well also must have a very thriving manufacturing sector. That sector of this country has been affected by a lot of things, one of which, in most cases, will be the power problems and energy problems of the country.
“We need to deal with the power sector problems that we have in the country in order for the manufacturers to get back to business again. Many companies that have shut down in this country and returned to their countries went back just because they could not have enough power to be able to do business. And even when they generated their own power, they paid so much cost to be able to generate enough power. So we need to deal with the energy and power sector which has been the major bane in the development of our country. We need to deal with it head on. When we do all this, we have to ensure that the exchange rate of the country goes down.”
Ekechukwu also advocated expanding local refining of petroleum products to reduce dependence on imported fuel, which would help preserve foreign exchange reserves and promote domestic economic activities. He said that investments in these sectors, although requiring time, will eventually lead to a more sustainable and thriving economy.
“We need to ensure that our fuel and petroleum products are refined in this country so that we stop the importation of petroleum products and reserve that particular foreign exchange reserve to be able to deal with some other things in the country.
“So once we are able to stop importation of petroleum products, we’re able to increase and create avenues for many manufacturers to get into business and we’re able to drive the gas sector of our economy and the solid mineral sector of our economy, we’re going to do well. Much as these sectors require long-term investments to thrive, we just have to get started and over the years we will achieve the kind of result we want to achieve.
“These are the things we have to do in order for us to grow our revenue base and in order for us to have a sustainable economy.” he added.
Another economist and development expert, Aliyu Ilias also highlighted key sectors that require urgent attention to improve Nigeria’s economic resilience. Ilias emphasised the need for a greater focus on energy, food security, and infrastructure development.
Said he: “We need to get a cascade for CNG so that CNG will be available. Those of us that converted spent over three hours on queues to access the product. We need more supply.
“There should also be more effort to improve food security. In July 2023, the president declared a state of emergency on food but we are yet to see anything on that. Over 60 per cent of our income is spent on food. So there needs to be more effort on ensuring food availability and affordability of food.
On infrastructure, he said: “The roads are very bad. They are not motorable. To have affordable transport systems, good roads are very important.”
Yet another economist, Gabriel Dele stressed the urgent need for Tinubu to confront Nigeria’s escalating security challenges head-on, particularly in agrarian states, where many farmers have been forced off their land, thereby, disrupting food production. He also pointed out the importance of revitalizing Nigeria’s manufacturing and export sectors. The economist explained that by promoting an environment that supports manufacturing growth and boosting exports, the country could reduce its dependence on imports, ease pressure on foreign exchange reserves, and stimulate economic expansion.
“He should tackle insecurity head on and get the farmers sacked from various agrarian states back to farms to boost food production. Food inflation is the main driver of headline inflation and tackling food insecurity is the surest path to economic stability.
“He should also ensure the manufacturing and export sub-sectors are seamless so we can generate foreign exchange to feed various parts of the economy requiring huge funding,” he stated. Another key area that requires attention, according to Dele, is Nigeria’s refineries
“The president must ensure the refineries are working to crash petrol prices and tackle the transportation crisis. He should work out a revival strategy for local manufacturers as many of them are on ventilators, forcing the country to rely on imports which add undue pressure on FX reserves.
“He must block leakages in the system as many agencies have duplicated functions and are wasting the little funds the country has,” he said
Tinubu must end rampaging hunger– Northern, M’Belt groups
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) and the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) have said the most pressing thing before President Bola Tinubu in 2025 is to tackle the excruciating hunger in the country.
President of MBF, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, said: “Tinubu should concentrate seriously on food security and that touches on the whole economy. The exchange rate, which he inherited when he came at about N740 to the dollar, has now more than doubled. Now it’s about N1650. As long as our naira remains devalued, cost of living, which has skyrocketed will remain. He should work on the economy and see how the naira can be strengthened so that things will have value, because it affects everything across board, including food,” Pogu said.
He advised Tinubu to concentrate on ensuring security for all Nigerians, noting that insurgents are more sophisticated because the military seems to be treating them with kid’s gloves. “Some of these insurgents are using even drones these days. The government should step up; give necessary gear to the military and the political will. Modern gadgets, drones should be deployed so that the military will be able to monitor movements of these people rather than waiting for them to attack. He urged Tinubu to worry more about Nigeria rather than about individual sections, or even about 2027.
“He said that the president should concentrate on policies and programmes and projects that will benefit Nigeria rather than doing something to appease sections just because he wants to return in 2027.
Coordinator, Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), Comrade Jaliu Aliu Charanchi, asked Tinubu to take Nigeria back to where he met it, in terms of fuel subsidy, in terms of reducing the economic hardship, in terms of forex exchange, and so many other things.
According to him, if the president can take this country back to where he met it before, Nigerians would appreciate it.
“Even though people said Nigeria was not doing well by then, Nigeria is in the worst situation now. Tinubu met the dollar at less than 1,000 Naira. Today, one dollar is almost about N1, 700. He met the fuel at below N500 a litre, but today, Nigerians are buying fuel at over N1, 000. He met the inflation rate below the 20 per cent, but today, it is about 33 per cent.
That’s why Nigerians are suffering. We have recently witnessed how some people died in stampedes just to get what they were going to eat during the Christmas. This is as a result of economic hardship we are facing in this country. This country is not working. People are suffering. Hunger is everywhere. Starvation is everywhere. At least, if Tinubu can take this country back to where he met it, where Nigerians would be buying fuel about N300, and one dollar exchanging for about N300, and the inflation rate dropping by almost 50 per cent, it will be better than the situation we find ourselves today,” Charanchi said.
What Tinubu must do for South East, Nigeria – Ohanaeze, ADF
Apex Igbo socio-cultural body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to turn a new leaf in 2025 by including Igbo people in governance.
Another Igbo group, Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) has also called on the President to actualise the restructuring of the country by granting regional autonomy to the zones so as to douse separatist agitations and engender national development.
National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia said that Igbo leaders would also want to meet with the President and discuss issues affecting their people and region including the release of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
“Inclusiveness: that is the essence of democracy. It is when you include people that are knowledgeable, even when they are adversaries, they will be able to broaden the thought processes and the economy of the country. That is the route not taken because evidently, the Igbo are not included in his administration, no matter how pretentious we can be about it. We are not fully included in his administration. The more he includes people he may consider his adversaries but who have content, the better for all of us and that is the beauty of democracy.
“US President-elect, Donald Trump has appointed even his opponents in his cabinet and that is how it goes.
“The other demand is that the Igbo want to come and see him. We have written letters to see him; he has not been able to give approval to that. It is when we see him that we’ll articulate our interest and then other things will follow. Even when Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu was alive (as President General), we wrote him more than four or five times. Igbo would like to meet him face to face to discuss the release of Nnamdi Kanu among other things,” the Ohanaeze spokesman said.
Secretary of ADF, Chief Abia Onyike was emphatic that regional autonomy would end the growing ethnic nationalities’ struggles for self-determination in Nigeria.
Onyike said: “We expect President Tinubu to become more serious with his original ideas on political reforms, essentially on the quest for regional autonomy and fiscal federalism. Such reforms will usher in a balanced federation in line with the vision of Nigeria’s founding fathers based on the 1963 Republican Constitution.
“Even if it requires convoking a National Conference, Tinubu should not hesitate in doing so. Regional autonomy will eradicate the current spate of self-determination struggles by ethnic nationalities fighting for autonomous republics away from the Nigerian federation.”