By Uzu Okagbue
In a democracy, opposition is legitimate. Criticism is necessary. But responsible political engagement demands that we distinguish between holding a government accountable and refusing to acknowledge measurable progress. We cannot demand evidence-based governance and then abandon evidence when it does not suit our political preferences.
Let us start where economic performance matters most: *the Nigerian household.*
When a parent goes to the market, the real question is how much food the family can afford. When a salary earner pays for transport, rent, electricity and school fees, the question is how much income remains. When a small-business owner struggles with borrowing costs, the consequences reach every worker and family depending on that enterprise.
These pressures are real. Nigerians deserve relief, not excuses. But the honest response is to examine whether the economic foundations are improving and what must happen next; not to dismiss every positive development because of partisan allegiance.
Nigeria’s real GDP grew by 4.43% in the second quarter of 2026, while headline inflation eased to 14.63% in September. Stronger external reserves, a reduction in the Central Bank’s benchmark interest rate and a more favourable sovereign outlook from Fitch Ratings add to the evidence of improving macroeconomic conditions.
These are consequential indicators. Economic recovery requires more than political promises; it requires growth, price stability, credible currency markets, stronger external buffers and renewed investment.
We must understand the distinction: lower inflation does not mean prices have returned to their former levels. It means prices are rising more slowly. The next objective must be to translate that moderation into improved purchasing power, more affordable food, stronger wages and lower pressure on household budgets.
That is where the administration must be challenged to deliver: and where its progress must be judged fairly.
Consider the significance of JPMorgan Chase’s reported pursuit of a merchant banking licence in Nigeria. Alongside Nigeria’s inclusion in a JPMorgan frontier-market local-currency government bond index, this points to deeper engagement with international financial markets.
JPMorgan’s proposed entry is not a guarantee of national prosperity, but it is a meaningful commercial signal. Major financial institutions evaluate market access, regulatory conditions, currency-market functionality, sovereign risk and investment opportunities. Their decisions influence how international capital assesses Nigeria.
The Nigerian Exchange’s performance, the strengthening of external reserves and the evolving monetary environment also deserve serious analysis. These developments matter because investor confidence and functioning capital markets can support business expansion, productive investment and employment.
President Tinubu deserves credit for pursuing reforms aimed at correcting structural distortions and rebuilding macroeconomic stability. Acknowledging that is not blind loyalty. It is an assessment of policy and outcomes. Equally, the government must not confuse improving indicators with a completed recovery: the benefits must reach the wider population.
*Here is the political choice before us: do we want an opposition that merely condemns, or one that scrutinises the evidence, proposes credible alternatives and helps Nigerians understand what is working and what still needs to change?*
Nigeria needs a political culture mature enough to recognise progress without abandoning accountability. We should insist on lower living costs, stronger purchasing power, affordable credit, productive jobs, improved food supply and greater opportunities for our young people. These are the outcomes that must define the next phase of reform.
My position is unequivocal: *recognise the strides, defend the progress where the evidence supports it, and demand that the dividends reach every Nigerian household*. We cannot build national confidence by denying every achievement, just as we cannot build prosperity by ignoring the suffering that remains.
*My call to action is simple: let us move the national conversation beyond partisan reflexes. Study the numbers. Engage the market evidence. Challenge the government where it falls short, acknowledge it where it delivers, and insist that economic stability becomes tangible prosperity for ordinary Nigerians.*
Nigeria’s future is too important to be held hostage by political bitterness. The task before us is not merely to win arguments about Tinubu; it is to build an economy in which Nigerian families can afford to live, businesses can grow, investors can commit capital and our children can see a future worth believing in.
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