Nigeria’s future depends on leadership, values, implementation — Stakeholders

Stakeholders in government, business and the media have called for stronger leadership, accountable institutions, improved policy implementation and a renewed commitment to national values as critical factors in shaping Nigeria’s future.

They made the call at The 20 Plus Years in the Media RealTalk with Kike @ 7, themed “Future of Nigeria,” where speakers examined the country’s leadership challenges, investment climate, moral values and the responsibilities of citizens in building a prosperous nation.

The event, convened by Kikelomo Atanda-Owo Abati, brought together prominent figures, including Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin; Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa; Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema; and media personality Reuben Abati.

Speaking at the event, Atanda-Owo Abati said Nigeria’s cultural richness and shared principles were important elements of the country’s identity and could help strengthen its appeal to investors.

She said the theme was chosen to encourage conversations about the country’s future and the issues affecting Nigerians across different social and economic backgrounds.

“As Nigerians, we are strong in culture and principles. The accumulation of these is what makes us distinct as Nigerians, and they all contribute to the richness of our culture,” she said.

The convener added that as a media practitioner, she understood the importance of ensuring that conversations about national development reached ordinary Nigerians and reflected their realities.

She also spoke about the need for greater support for women, noting that she had not received the level of support she expected from women over the years.

At the event, the Lagos State Government reiterated the importance of building a future anchored on results-driven leadership, innovation and an enabling environment for investment.

Hamzat, represented by Salu-Hundeyin, said the future of Nigeria must be deliberately built, adding that leadership should be assessed by the results it delivered and its honesty in acknowledging unfinished tasks.

He said the country needed to move beyond being a consumer of technology to becoming a builder of technological solutions capable of driving economic growth and social prosperity.

According to him, innovation requires more than technology, as reliable electricity, access to finance and adequate investment are also essential.

“Innovation cannot flourish without capital,” he said, adding that investment promotion efforts must make opportunities clearer to investors while the country strengthens its infrastructure to attract long-term financing.

He assured that the Lagos State Government would continue to provide an enabling environment for creative talents to thrive.

He also stressed the importance of preserving Nigeria’s cultural identity, warning that a nation that loses its identity risks losing its voice in the international community.

During a panel session moderated by Atanda-Owo Abati, speakers, including veteran broadcaster Reuben Abati; Minister Hannatu Musawa; NiDCOM chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa; and Air Peace CEO, Allen Onyema, offered perspectives on the country’s governance challenges, public trust, national values and economic prospects.

Abati identified leadership recruitment and weak institutions as major obstacles to Nigeria’s development, arguing that the country needed to pay greater attention to the calibre of people entering public office.

He said many Nigerians aspired to serve in government but often encountered institutions weakened by entrenched impunity and poor accountability.

According to him, Nigeria’s leadership recruitment process does not always prioritise the most competent candidates.

He called for stronger institutions and greater support for anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Abati also pointed to a gap between private and public morality, suggesting that the country’s development challenges could not be resolved without addressing the values and attitudes that shape public conduct.

Musawa, on her part, said the gap between policy formulation and implementation remained a major challenge to governance.

She noted that many Nigerians entered public office with ambitious ideas about what could be achieved but often encountered difficulties translating policies into tangible results.

While acknowledging that governments had introduced various policies, she said effective implementation remained a major concern.

Musawa stressed the need for deliberate action and collaboration with citizens, adding that every Nigerian had a role to play in determining the country’s future.

She said national development must be approached with a clear understanding of how government decisions affect ordinary people, particularly those at the grassroots.

Dabiri-Erewa emphasized the importance of effective communication between government officials and citizens, warning against the tendency to rely on social media reactions as the sole measure of public opinion.

“Social media is not a real world. You have to explain to people,” she said.

She maintained that public officials should not expect constant praise but should focus on communicating government policies clearly, addressing shortcomings and improving public institutions.

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According to her, communication should not be used merely to manage the perception of government failures but should help drive efforts to fix the system.

The NiDCOM chairman also called for a reassessment of Nigeria’s societal values, arguing that the celebration of wealth and power often overshadowed hard work and integrity.

She urged Nigerians to reflect on the values they promote and reward, saying collective responsibility remained essential to building a better society.

“If each of us plays our role, I think Nigeria will be a better society,” she said.

On the economic front, Onyema highlighted the role of aviation in connecting people, supporting businesses and strengthening Nigeria’s position within Africa and the international community.

He said Air Peace operated more than 100 flights daily across domestic, regional and international routes, attributing the airline’s operations to its capacity to serve a growing market.

Onyema also defended the airline against criticism over flight delays, arguing that public perceptions did not always reflect the operational realities of the aviation industry.

He lamented what he described as a culture of pulling others down, particularly in public discourse, and said the airline’s operations had contributed to reconnecting Nigerian families by making air travel more accessible.

He said the airline had also reduced fares in a bid to improve access to air transportation.

Using the realities of aviation to underscore the importance of understanding the industry, Onyema remarked that there was no bus stop in the air, pointing to the operational complexities associated with air travel.

The discussions at the event highlighted the need for Nigeria to strengthen leadership, improve institutional accountability, close the gap between policy and implementation, and encourage citizens to embrace values that support national development.

As the country continues to confront economic and governance challenges, speakers maintained that its future would depend not only on government policies but also on the willingness of leaders, businesses and citizens to take responsibility for building a more prosperous society.