Wike blames Nigeria’s economic woes on leadership failure, exonerates Tinubu

…Says Tinubu’s reforms have redirected Nigeria towards recovery

…Strong institutions, not strong men, key to Nigeria’s development

Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has blamed Nigeria’s enduring underdevelopment and soaring poverty figures on the failure of the leadership class.

The minister spoke at the 36th Convocation Ceremony of the University of Port Harcourt on Saturday while also delivering a lecture on ‘Leadership and Infrastructure Development in Nigeria: Lessons for Future Leaders.’

Wike described successive generations’ failure to provide transformational, transparent, and visionary leadership as the bane of underdevelopment in the country.

He said that leadership must be accountable to the people, unlock human capital development, and be judged by legacy and measurable achievements, rather than “noise”.

Wike noted that Africa must begin to focus on building strong institutions rather than strong leaders, adding that leadership failure has institutionalised underperformance in Africa.

He, however, exonerated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the leadership crisis that has brought Africa and Nigeria to their knees, applauding the president’s bold reforms that he said are pointing the country toward recovery.

Wike further said that the President had shown an uncommon willingness to confront difficult decisions and mobilise resources toward addressing Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit.

“What the present moment offers is a rare and defining possibility, a window in which purposeful leadership can begin, in earnest, to narrow the enduring gap between Nigeria’s vast potential and its historically uneven performance.

“In this regard, the evidence increasingly suggests that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated, beyond reasonable doubt, the courage to confront difficult choices, the capacity to mobilise national resources, and the will to pursue infrastructure as a serious instrument of transformation,” he said.

The FCT minister argued that infrastructure was the clearest measure of leadership effectiveness, stressing that roads, railways, power projects, housing schemes, and digital infrastructure are critical foundations for economic growth and social development.

He noted that while some ongoing projects were inherited from previous administrations, the Tinubu government had injected renewed urgency and strategic direction into their execution.

He said projects that previously existed as isolated initiatives are now being integrated into a broader national development framework aimed at stimulating productivity, strengthening national cohesion and expanding economic opportunities.

Wike cited major projects — including the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano Road, East‑West Road, and access roads to the Second Niger Bridge — as examples of the administration’s commitment to reshaping Nigeria’s economic landscape.

He highlighted ongoing investments in rail transportation, including the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri railway corridor and the expansion of standard-gauge networks across the country.

Wike also pointed to the implementation of the Presidential Power Initiative in partnership with Siemens as well as rural electrification programmes and mass metering schemes designed to improve electricity supply and restore consumer confidence.

The minister further commended the administration’s energy-transition agenda, particularly the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative and the National Hydrogen Policy, describing them as forward-looking interventions that align Nigeria with emerging global energy realities.

He also noted investments in housing, aviation, broadband infrastructure, security architecture, and education — including the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which he said is helping to expand access to higher education.

Wike described the removal of the fuel subsidy as one of the administration’s boldest decisions, arguing that the policy has created additional fiscal space for governments at all levels to invest in critical infrastructure and development projects.

“Transformative leadership often requires the courage to choose long-term stability over short-term comfort,” he said.

The minister maintained that infrastructure development should not be assessed by the number of projects announced but by their successful completion and long-term impact on citizens.

He warned that Nigeria’s development aspirations would remain unattainable without sustained investments in roads, power, transportation, healthcare and education.

Wike urged Nigerians to support efforts aimed at building a functional and integrated economy, adding that infrastructure development is a long-term undertaking whose benefits may not be immediately visible.

“If this trajectory is to be consolidated, deepened, and translated into lasting national outcomes, it requires not interruption in leadership, but continuity; not hesitation, but sustained commitment,” he said.

The minister stressed that leadership should be judged by its ability to translate vision into concrete outcomes, insisting that no nation can rise above the quality of its infrastructure and the commitment of those entrusted with governance.