Politics is taking over in Abuja. Governance is sliding into the background as 2027 elections loom large.
The Federal Executive Council met just once during the first five months of 2026. Key policy decisions are piling up without attention.
Lawmakers sat for only 17 days across three months. Parliament's output has slowed noticeably as a result.
Nigerians are struggling with rising costs and stubborn inflation. Economic reforms have drained household savings and squeezed business profits.
Budget performance tells a grim story. As of the third quarter of 2025, only N3.10 trillion had been spent on capital projects out of N23.44 trillion allocated.
That's just 13.2 percent of capital spending. Only 5.65 percent of total budget money was deployed overall.
Revenue collapsed sharply over the same period. Gross earnings dropped 39 percent to N18.6 trillion in the first nine months of 2025.
The shortfall hit about N12 trillion against projections. Retained revenue fell short by N12.03 trillion as well.
Fiscal experts warn the widening gap is crippling government capacity. "What we are seeing is a widening gap between fiscal ambition and actual delivery capacity," fiscal policy analyst Chike Onu told reporters.
Infrastructure projects are stalling. Social programmes are being squeezed dry.
Yet politicians are busy building alliances across party lines. Campaign positioning for 2027 has already started in earnest.
President Bola Tinubu presided over the FEC's only 2026 meeting on March 4. The session involved swearing in Tunde Disu as Inspector-General of Police and RMAFC board members.
FEC is Nigeria's highest policy-making body. Its infrequent meetings have alarmed stakeholders about coordination across government.
Decision-making has suffered as a result. Critical sectors requiring constant executive oversight are feeling the impact most.
John Chikere of Global Consult explained the problem plainly. "When key coordinating bodies meet less frequently, it inevitably slows down decision-making in sectors that require constant executive attention," he said.
The petroleum sector is particularly affected. Oil operators say ministerial engagement has become scarce in recent months.
Revenue depends heavily on crude earnings. Yet the oil industry sees less government attention now than before.
Stakeholders are increasingly concerned about Nigeria's direction. Governance momentum is fading at a time when the nation needs it most.
Economic pressures mount while political calculations dominate. The mismatch between priorities and needs grows wider each day.
