Has Nigeria Turned the Corner?
Jerry Adesewo
When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared at the coronation of the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, that “Nigeria has turned the corner,” it was meant to inspire hope — to assure Nigerians that the days of hardship are receding, and that the long-promised light at the end of the tunnel is finally within sight. Yet, as with many political proclamations in our history, the statement demands a sober interrogation: has Nigeria truly turned the corner, or are we merely standing at another bend, unsure of what lies ahead?
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To “turn the corner” is to overcome a critical challenge. To shift from decline to recovery. But for a nation to make that claim, there must be tangible signs that things are, indeed, getting better. For now, Nigeria remains a study in contradictions: rising inflation and escalating food prices on one hand, yet a government insisting that economic reforms are taking shape on the other. The streets tell a different story. The average citizen is still grappling with unbearable living costs, transport fares that double overnight, and food items that seem to change prices by the day.
The President’s optimism, however, should not be dismissed outright. There have been modest strides in areas such as revenue generation, fiscal discipline, infrastructural development, and renewed international engagement, which has culmunated in another of the President’s announcement last week, of the Dr. Ogunlesi and Bello Osagie’s intention to plant another refinery in Nigeria.
The exchange rate, though volatile, has shown intermittent signs of stabilization. The Dangote Refinery, despite its current labour and regulatory controversies, has signaled the potential end of Nigeria’s shameful dependence on imported fuel, and of course, the capacity to serve the entire West Africa. Yet, these developments remain fragile, and the impact has not trickled down to the ordinary Nigerian.
If we have turned the corner, it must show in the cost of living — in food affordability, access to healthcare, job creation, and public trust in governance. But the truth is sobering. Many Nigerians are still being crushed under the weight of multiple taxes, erratic power supply, and an ever-weakening purchasing power. Even the middle class, once the bedrock of national resilience, is fast disappearing.
The past week also witnessed several developments that reflect the tension between optimism and reality. The ongoing standoff between the Dangote Refinery and labour unions, for instance, is symptomatic of a larger struggle, the tension between private enterprise and public accountability, between progress and politics. Similarly, the alarming reports from various parts of the country about insecurity remind us that no economic reform can thrive in the absence of peace and stability.
The President’s statement should therefore be seen as both a declaration and a challenge — a call to convert rhetoric into results. Turning the corner is not a matter of speech; it is a matter of evidence. It is not defined by the comfort of those in power but by the relief felt by those on the margins. It is not in the celebration of elite gatherings, but in the daily realities of market women, artisans, teachers, and young graduates navigating a broken job market.
Nigeria’s story has always been one of resilience. From military rule to democratic transitions, from oil booms to recessions, Nigerians have consistently endured and adapted. But endurance must not be mistaken for progress. Hope, no matter how inspiring, must be substantiated by policy outcomes that touch lives.
So, has Nigeria turned the corner? Perhaps the turn has begun, but the journey out of hardship remains long and uncertain. For that corner to lead to genuine recovery, the government must double down on transparency, create jobs that match our youthful population, stabilize energy and fuel supply, and tackle corruption not with words but with visible action.
Nigerians are patient, but not endlessly so. The nation does not need more comforting metaphors; it needs measurable change. Until then, President Tinubu’s proclamation will remain a statement of intent — not a reflection of reality.
Until the price of garri, fuel, and hope itself stops rising, Nigeria has not yet turned that corner.
But does, the man at the centre has the capacity to make us turn the corner completely? The answer is…. Yes! If President Bola Ahmed Tinubu sets his mind at it, yes, he can!