Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Bagudu, Admits to the Positive Impact of #EndBadGovernance Protest

Senator Abubakar Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, has acknowledged that the recent nationwide #EndBadGovernance rallies have compelled the federal government to pay closer attention to the demands of Nigerians.

The Minister made this statement during his remarks at the "Nigerian Economic Summit Group National Economic Dialogue on Nigeria’s Economic Future: 25 Years of Democracy and Beyond." Bagudu emphasized that efforts are underway to improve the nation's situation.

“We have learned that even the current protests have made us listen more. Whatever we are doing, we have taken the message that we need to do more, we need to do better, and we need to do it in a hurry,” Bagudu stated.

He further noted that President Bola Tinubu has been hesitant to reflect on the past and assign blame but acknowledged that, despite the efforts of previous administrations, especially in the last 25 years, Nigeria is not where it wants to be.

“So, what do we do? It’s not because of anyone’s failing, but that is our reality. We have yet to achieve the income per capita that we require, and it’s not for lack of trying; it’s not for lack of successes. With the transformation in the telecommunication sector, at some point, we even reversed our gross domestic product (GDP),” he explained.

Bagudu pointed out that Nigeria's population has grown from 119 million in 1999 to about 230 million today—almost double. However, he highlighted that the country's oil production, which was 2.2 million barrels per day in 1999, has not increased proportionately and is now under 1.5 million barrels per day, reflecting cumulative years of underinvestment in the sector.

“Our reality is that we are not where we want to be, and our constitution needs to be more transparent about what we should do,” Bagudu stated.

He referenced Chapter 2 of the Nigerian Constitution, which outlines the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, discussing the country's political and economic objectives.

“Chapter two of the Constitution spells out citizens’ duties. The chapter opens by saying that all persons in authority—legislative, executive, and judicial—at all levels of government, have the primary mandate to ensure the achievement of those fundamental objectives in Chapter 2,” Bagudu explained.

He concluded by suggesting that while the Constitution provides a starting point, there may be a need to interrogate it and make improvements. He also highlighted that Agenda 2050 reflects the objectives of building an inclusive nation and achieving a higher per capita income by the year 2050, with an investment target of not less than $100 billion annually.