By Osordi Ayomide
The hardship and frustration in Nigeria today are impossible to ignore. Last week, angry Nigerians flooded the social media pages of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), pleading with the institution to stop lending money to the country.
For many citizens, life has become increasingly difficult under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Food prices continue to soar, transportation costs have risen sharply, and even members of the middle class now openly admit they are struggling to survive. To millions of Nigerians, the removal of the fuel subsidy, rising taxes, and the floating of the naira have brought more pain than relief.
Pulling no suprise, many citizens believe the government’s economic policies are worsening hardship rather than improving the nation’s future. Years of corruption, failed promises, and poor governance have made Nigerians deeply suspicious of painful reforms. To some, the sacrifices being demanded from the masses appear unfair, especially when political leaders are still seen living comfortably. The growing anger is, therefore, not only about hunger; it is also about trust.
However, economists continue to argue that difficult reforms are sometimes necessary to rebuild weak economies.
Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once famously said, “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity.” Supporters of the Tinubu administration believe Nigeria had postponed hard decisions for too long, especially regarding the fuel subsidy and currency management. They insist the country was running an unsustainable system that heavily drained public resources while delivering little long-term value.
Interestingly, recent figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) suggest that the economy may slowly be responding to these reforms. According to the agency, Nigeria’s real GDP grew by 3.87 per cent in 2025, an improvement from the 3.38 per cent recorded in 2024.
To economic analysts, this indicates that despite the hardship, some of the policies may be laying the foundation for future recovery. Former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had long maintained that Nigeria needed structural reforms to fix deep-rooted economic problems, even when such decisions appear unpopular at the beginning.
Still, statistics alone cannot erase the daily realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.
Economic growth means little to a family struggling to afford food or transport fare. This is why many citizens are demanding more accountability, transparency, and visible signs that the sacrifices being made today will eventually benefit the people and not just the political elite. Governments across the world have implemented painful reforms before, but public patience often depends on whether citizens can see sincerity and shared sacrifice from their leaders.
For now, Nigeria appears to be standing at a delicate crossroads. Whether the Tinubu reforms will eventually transform the economy or deepen existing hardship remains uncertain.
However, history reminds us that major national transformations rarely happen overnight. As the popular saying goes, Rome was not built in a day. Nigerians must continue to ask questions, hold leaders accountable, and remain watchful, but perhaps they must also exercise patience to see how the story of this administration ultimately unfolds.