As we enter the last quarter of the year, the federal government needs to start working on its 2026 plans. In my opinion, here are Nigeria’s top 10 priorities at the moment

Ayo Akinfe

[1] Ending the current insecurity epidemic. There are 6m weapons in the country at the moment and criminals are having a field day. This needs urgent addressing

[2] Putting out all the ethnic fires currently raging across the country. Ethnic mistrust is now such an issue, it virtually impossible to have any serious national debate on any subject. Nigerians now shamelessly support or oppose government policy based on what part of the country they are from

[3] Solving our power crisis. Nigeria needs about 50,000MW but only generates 7,000, of which she can only transmit 4,000MW

[4] Devolving power to the states. The current unitarist structure centred around the federal allocation formula is unsustainable. Each of our 36 states has got to become self reliant and generate a surplus

[5] Diversifying the economy. Currently, over 90% of federal government revenue comes from crude oil receipts. That figure needs to be no higher than 10%

[6] Regulating religion. We have all seen how an extremist recently emerged as a communications minister, raising eyebrows internationally. To combat this malaise, we need to curb the spread and influence of religion. We are a secular country but Nigeria is fast drifting towards being a dual-theocracy

[7] Getting all the dead capital we are sitting on invested in the economy. How do we get investors to pour capital into manufacturing? I would start with our millionaire clergymen. According to the African Development Bank, we have an annual infrastructural investment deficit of $100bn

[8] To become a manufacturing nation, you need power, crude oil, steel and skilled manpower. Of all of these, the one area where we are most lacking is steel production. By my calculations, Nigeria needs to produce about 20m tonnes of steel annually

[9] There are so many car accidents in Nigeria today because too many journeys needlessly take place by road. We need a national railway plan to move freight off roads and to boost train travel by about 500%

[10] Nigeria will never become an industrial hub unless her ports are accessible. We have 853km of Atlantic coastline but only one properly functioning port. Calabar, Port Harcourt, Ikot-Abasi and Warri all need to be brought up to the same level as Apapa immediately

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