Buhari’s Presidency: Health Challenges and Major Successes

Former President Muhammadu Buhari led Nigeria from 2015 to 2023. He was known both for his repeated trips abroad for health treatment and for several major projects at home.

When Buhari first ran for office in 2015, opponents mocked his age and frailty. In early 2016, he flew to the UK for treatment of an ear infection. Many Nigerians worried about why their leader was often away and asked who was running the country in his absence.

In May 2017, Buhari left Nigeria for what became a 103-day stay in a London hospital. People protested and called for clear answers about his health and leadership. When he finally returned, he simply said, “I am better,” but questions about stability remained.

 After winning a second term in 2019, Buhari made far fewer medical trips. This let him concentrate on his main goals: building new infrastructure, fighting corruption, and improving government services.

Under Buhari, modern rail lines opened between Abuja–Kaduna and Lagos–Ibadan. The Second Niger Bridge began full operation, easing travel between the east and south. Thousands of kilometres of roads were built or repaired, and major ports were upgraded.

His administration launched a digital strategy in 2019 to move government services online. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, public offices used video meetings. In 2022, the Nigerian Data Protection Bureau was set up to protect people’s personal information.

Buhari continued his “war on graft” by expanding the Treasury Single Account, which saved trillions of naira. He oversaw more than 600 anti-corruption convictions by 2018, though critics said some cases were politically selective.

He backed large farm programs to boost food production and joined Africa’s “Great Green Wall” to stop desert spread. Social welfare schemes aimed to lift people out of poverty. His government also gave more power and funds to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control.

Regional and Security Roles

Buhari sent troops to help restore democracy in The Gambia in 2016 and worked with neighbours against Boko Haram. He was honoured by the African Union and ECOWAS for his efforts.

Still, Nigeria faced two recessions, high inflation, and rising unemployment. Attacks by insurgents, bandits, and kidnappers continued. Many felt progress in roads and rails did not match improvements in everyday security or jobs.

On July 13, 2025, Buhari died in a London clinic after another illness. President Tinubu declared seven days of national mourning, flew flags at half-mast, and ordered state honours for the ex-president.

Buhari’s time in office shows contrast: long health absences but also new railways and bridges; strong anti-corruption steps yet criticism over selectivity; digital reforms alongside ongoing security and economic struggles. Nigerians will remember both his discipline and the challenges that remained when he left office.