Would you rather live in a country where the rich are extremely rich, and the poor are very poor? Or would you rather live in a society where the rich are simply well-off while those classified as poor also enjoy a reasonable standard of living?
With the exception of those in Nigeria who firmly advocate for free-market policies, everyone would prefer a society where wealth is more evenly distributed, ensuring a decent standard of living for all. In a country where the gap between the rich and poor is very wide, many Nigerians would rather see a system that prioritises equitable access to basic needs, such as education, healthcare, agriculture, housing and employment opportunities. The latter is a major reason for skilled individuals to leave the country, “japa.”
The “japa” decision is a rational choice for those who have the opportunity to leave the country due to the lack of economic opportunities, among many other issues. And it is not restricted to professionals with attractive skills, but it sure does help. With poor working conditions, low pay, and a lack of public investment in the economy, Nigerians see “japa” as a form of protest against the leadership of the country and also as an option to achieve a better quality of life and professional fulfilment.
This is why Nigerians joined the 10 days of protest against bad governance in the diaspora. It was a unifying power of collective action. The demonstrators effectively harnessed social media to organise and amplify their voices. The demands of the protest were driven by deep frustration with corruption, insecurity, harsh economic policies and mismanagement.
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Proponents of free-market principles may still argue that the ongoing reforms and potential economic development can change everything. These voices surely comfort the government. But the reality for most Nigerians is that prevailing corruption, supported by capitalist-libertarian policies, is only widening the inequality gap.
Wealth is now being concentrated in the hands of a few while the majority continue to remain in misery. But this is not what happens in ideal capitalist societies like America, the UK and Europe, which is why Nigerians in the diaspora keep calling for change in economic policies and the endemic corruption in the system.
Nigerians are rational, like most humans. They want to live in a sane, ideal society—one where even the poorest have the chance to live with dignity—rather than one where only the wealthy succeed. The majority will not be bothered about the success of the rich as long as the poor are guaranteed access to resources that provide them with a decent livelihood.
But how can one justify distributing 20 trucks of rice to each state? Let’s remember that Kano has 10.5 million poor people in Kano, Nasarawa has 1.36 million poor people, and Adamawa has 3.44 million poor people. This has become the practice of the Tinubu-led administration to allocate resources based on states instead of the number of recipients. Such practice will only widen the inequality gap further.
It gets more complicated when we add instances of governance, policies and corruption. In the midst of fuel subsidy removal and petroleum sector reforms, the House of Representatives has gone on to dissolve the Joint Downstream and Midstream Committee. The committee was investigating the importation of adulterated petroleum products, the non-availability of crude oil for domestic refineries, and other critical energy security issues.
Similarly, in the face of monetary policy reforms, Tinubu has terminated the Obaze investigation where corruption cases were recently brought forward. And the company owned by Gilbert Chagoury and Seyi Tinubu will continue to build the Lagos-Calabar highway. The Presidency says it is the right of the son of the President to pursue a business.
Based on these facts, many will be pressed to assert that Nigeria offers a decent life only to the wealthy instead of to all its citizens. The reality is that the wealthiest Nigerians live comfortably, like the global elite. However, the majority of the population faces significant hardships.
Starting at the top of the ladder, with a total of $27 billion, the net wealth of Dangote, Adenuga, Rabiu, and Otedola could eradicate the existing poverty in Nigeria. These four individuals command incomes that allow them to live in luxury of all categories. Their wealth puts Nigeria’s richest firmly in the company of the world’s affluent, with standards of living comparable to those of their counterparts in some of the wealthiest countries.
But what happens when we move down the economic ladder? The average Nigerian household struggles with a much lower standard of living. Challenges like poor public services, unacceptable wages and rising inflation make it difficult for the average household to maintain even a basic standard of living. These issues are why we have so about 20 million out-of-school children, even though this group fares better than others.
At the lower end, the poorest of Nigerian households live in extreme poverty. Aside from living on very low incomes or no income at all, they lack access to essential resources like clean water, food, and shelter. These households face a daily struggle for survival. They are predominantly unemployed but rely on the situation of the day to sell their labour. Their conditions are dire compared to even the poorest in many other countries.
If the current administration does not address these disparities, Nigeria will continue to be a country where wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few, the majority of its citizens live in hardship, and anyone with the chance to flee the country will do so. The wide gap between the wealthy and the poor in Nigeria means that, despite the potential for development, large sections of the population remain in poverty. This outcome has pushed many to leave the country and deterred others from returning.
The administrators of the Tinubu-led government are right to focus on economic development, but they have ignored the basic idea of how this development is distributed across the population. The neoliberal idea of the free market has made them disregard the welfare of millions of Nigerians. They treat income inequality as a mere statistic instead of what it reflects—the lived reality of many who struggle daily to meet their basic needs.
On the bright side, the world is a global village—information, communications, and the movement of people are faster than ever. Many of those who have left for saner climes have deep connections in Nigeria. They have not lost hope in finding ways to contribute to the development of Nigeria because they dream of returning to live in the country. With people like them in the diaspora, it is possible to create a sane society where society where the rich are well-off while the poor also enjoy a decent living standard.
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