Tinubu Can’t Transform Nigeria Except He Does These Things

President-elect, Bola Asiwaju Tinubu is faced with the daunting task of transforming Nigeria. Once he assumes office as President on the 29th of May, 2023, he will have a nation plagued with corruption, ethnic and religious tensions, a high rate of unemployment and a faulty healthcare system to battle with.

While Nigerians hope that he will be able to replicate the Lagos transformative agenda for the nation, Tinubu earlier noted that Nigeria is an entirely complex and variegated nation that requires a different kind of transformation model. Whatever model Tinubu chooses to follow will however not be very effective, if he fails to address the following issues. Let’s examine some of them.

Curtail corruption in leadership 

For decades Nigeria has grappled with the effect of corrupt leadership. If Tinubu must transform Nigeria, he must start by fixing this. But how can he do that when some persons who could feature in his cabinet have portfolios of corrupt practices? One of them, the Former Aviation Minister, was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a 17-count charge of N4.6 billion in money laundering. 

Also, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State was linked by the anti-graft agency with an alleged diversion of N400 million into private pockets during the 2015 presidential election through an arms deal. Engrafting leaders who have corrupt antecedents will do more harm to his transformation plan. However, to tackle corrupt leadership Tinubu can introduce an assessment methodology that assesses the capacity of leaders and keep them accountable to their campaign promises throughout their stay in office.

Fix the Nigerian attitude

Nigerians largely have an exploitation attitude. Some of them don’t want to work, but they want to accumulate wealth. One must also not forget to state the Get rich quick syndrome that has ended the lives of so many youths. If Tinubu must transform the nation, he must begin by sensitising the Nigerian population. This will not be an easy endeavour, but it is very important. He must also make jobs available for Nigerians. 

He can also introduce a programme similar to War Against Indiscipline (WAI) to correct the nation’s social maladjustment. Also, he must recognise the strengths of each section of the country and provide great foundations on which they can thrive. The work of refurbishing the Nigerian attitude must be a holistic one.

Pave way for foreign investments

Nigeria is gradually becoming a hub for startups and if Tinubu must transform the nation, he must make the nation’s economy suitable for foreign investments. Investment companies like Tiger Global, Target Global, and  Valar Venture have sponsored a lot of investments in the country. From leading the $10 million seed round in Kuda Bank to Co-leading the $170 million Series C, Tinubu can introduce policies that will encourage foreign investors to begin in Nigerian business.

Change the consumption mentality

Tinubu must focus on moving Nigeria from a consumption to a production country. He should also reduce the over-reliance on oil by focusing on exporting finished products instead of commodities and raw materials. Tinubu must introduce a team of experts to understudy the economies of China, Singapore and the US to reduce the rate of imports. 

The country has over 84 million hectares of arable land which are barely cultivated today. If Tinubu is thinking of transformation, he has to think more about production. He should put the great minds of Nigerians to use.

Open Nigeria to the world

By making room for regional differences, tackling insecurity, fixing Nigeria’s comatose healthcare system, and encouraging states to invest in infrastructures and tourist attractions, Tinubu will be opening Nigeria to the world. 

The reason why most Nigerians are leaving the country for another country is because of some of the above challenges. If Tinubu can address them and Nigeria because a great country, Nigeria will be opened to investors and more foreigners will look forward to relocating to the country.