By Abdulwasiu Hassan
The new president of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is due to be sworn in on Monday to succeed Muhammadu Buhari who is leaving office after completing his two terms.
Mr Tinubu, 71, won Nigeria’s presidential election in February on the platform of the governing APC party. He becomes the country’s sixteenth leader and fifth democratically-elected president since the country returned to democracy in 1999.
The experienced politician campaigned on his record as a former governor of Lagos state where he is credited with boosting its economy including a massive increase in revenues and industrial development as well as improving the transport system.
He also carried out infrastructural projects in the Nigerian commercial hub including roads, schools and health facilities.
This is what is giving some Nigerians like Nasiru Ringim confidence in the new president. ‘’We are hoping that with this opportunity that he has, he will use it to improve on what he did in the past,’’ Ringim told TRT Afrika. ‘’I wish this new government well and we are hoping it will deliver,’’ he says.
Boosting the economy
But the new task before Bola Tinubu and as he takes oath of office to lead Africa’s largest economy and most populous country, is enormous and the general expectations are high.
The new Nigerian leader told reporters that he was up to the task. ‘’I’m refreshed and I’m ready for the task ahead,” Tinubu said, just after he returned from a foreign trip about a month before his swearing in.
The task awaiting Mr Tinubu ‘’requires a lot of thinking and action,’’ says Zuhumnan Dapel, a Nigerian economic research fellow at the Canada-based International Development Research Centre.
‘’The best job for the new president is to give Nigerians a better economy,’’ Mr Zuhumnan told TRT Afrika.
He said Nigeria needs to diversify its economy by investing more in non-oil sectors including agriculture which will help to reduce food imports and boost government revenues.
Amir Muhammad Harbo, a resident of the northern state of Jigawa says he expects the government of Bola Tinubu to build on the legacy of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
‘’The new government needs to take steps to stabilise the economy and create jobs,’’ Harbo told TRT Afrika.
He believes with more projects such as the recently commissioned Dangote's mega petroleum refinery, tackling unemployment and boosting the economy, massive progress in Nigeria ‘’is possible.’’
He also calls for a stronger foundation in the education sector. ‘’The Nigerian education system is in need of reform, especially in basic education,’’ he says.
‘’The new government needs to invest and improve the quality of education for all Nigerians,’’ Harbo adds. This will make the country a ‘’better place for all Nigerians.’’
Dr Isa Abdullahi, head of economics department at the Federal University Kashere in Gombe state agrees.
Dr Abdullahi says the new Nigerian government should continue with efforts to revitalise and support the country’s industries to enable them reduce the pressure on the government as per employment opportunities.
This, he says, will help the country’s oil-dependent economy. “The only way a government or a society can generate employment is just through production,” Abdullahi told TRT Afrika.
“If there is no production, there is no economy. If there is no production, there is no employment. If there is no production, there is no income for the government,” he adds.
Key to excellent performance
Another issue Nigeria is dealing with is insecurity. In a recent interview Bola Tinubu praised his predecessor Muhammadu Buhari for degrading the Boko Haram armed group which has been waging a deadly insurgency for more than a decade in the north of the country and in neighbouring Niger, Cameroon and Chad.
There is also the problem of frequent kidnappings for ransom by armed gangs which the Nigerian authorities have been trying to tackle.
“There is the need for synergy among the seven security agencies within the country for enhanced security,” a security analyst Kabiru Adamu told TRT Afrika.
Experts also point out the need for fostering unity among Nigeria’s diverse ethnic and religious communities as well as improving other sectors including health and electricity.
Nigeria is often referred to as the ‘giant of Africa’ due to its population, size of economy and the leadership role it plays on continental matters.
This according to analysts, is another pointer to the challenge before Bola Tinubu as he would be expected to play such key role in Africa and beyond in addition to handling domestic issues.
Researcher, Zuhumnan Dapel, says the new Nigerian president needs ‘’to engage experts’’ to work ‘’with honesty’’ in every sector. ‘’If he does this, he will perform excellently,’’ Dapel concludes.
