Nigeria’s leading presidential candidates have unveiled competing plans to tackle the country’s economic and security challenges ahead of the 2027 general election.
President Bola Tinubu of the APC is campaigning on continuity, defending his administration’s fuel subsidy removal and economic reforms while promising improvements in electricity, infrastructure and security, including state police.
Atiku Abubakar of the ADC has promised to prioritise security, education, healthcare, the economy and power. He has also pledged to restore fuel subsidy if elected, while promising increased recruitment, equipment and welfare for security agencies.
Peter Obi of the NDC is focusing on shifting Nigeria from consumption to production through increased investment in agriculture, manufacturing, agro-processing and human capital. He also wants every region to contribute more to national production.
Adewole Adebayo of the SDP has made employment a major priority, targeting 30 million jobs through agriculture, manufacturing, digital innovation and enterprise. He also proposes major expansion of electricity generation.
Meanwhile, Omoyele Sowore of the AAC has placed education at the centre of his campaign, promising free education, free public examination fees, student grants and greater use of technology in schools.
Despite their differences, the candidates largely agree that Nigeria needs better security, reliable electricity, more jobs, stronger education and healthcare, and increased domestic production.
However, a major concern remains the lack of detailed costings and funding plans for many of the proposed programmes.
The candidates are therefore being challenged to explain how much their promises will cost, where the money will come from, how the policies will be implemented, and what measurable results Nigerians should expect within their first four years.
The central issue ahead of the 2027 election may ultimately be not who makes the biggest promises, but who can provide a realistic and properly funded roadmap for delivering them.
