President Muhammadu Buhari made history once as he defeated an incumbent president in 2015 when he was elected by the majority of Nigerians who believed first, in his ‘Change’ and subsequently his ‘Next Level ‘mantra.
Then again, while compiling this list, we remembered that Buhari’s administration led the country into recession, this christened Nigeria ‘the poverty capital of the world’ amongst other pains of the people….. However, there are undeniable areas where Nigeria has recorded improvements since Buhari came into power.
- CONSTRUCTION OF 2ND NIGER BRIDGE
Where successive governments paid lip service to the construction of a second Niger Bridge in Onitsha, Anambra state, unexpectedly Buhari put money where his mouth was and construction work commenced on the site since 1st September 2018.
With the proposed completion of the 1.6km long River Niger Bridge in 2022, the region will experience the ease of traffic flow, improved road safety and the creation of opportunities for residents and traders by advancing commercial viability of the area and regenerating economic life. We can’t wait!
- IMPROVEMENT IN IMMIGRATION
The Nigeria Immigration Service during Buhari’s tenure has embarked on robust technological upgrade, inter-agency and international synergy, capacity building and improved interfaces to deliver on its statutory mandate.
The agency which has been classified as one with the most difficult bureaucracies has recorded improvement in the application for a new international passport and the extension of the validity period on a passport. The new passport is a product of intensive review compared to the existing e-passport booklet. Improvements on the new passport include;
- New security-enhanced features;
- Polycarbonate technology that enhances the quality of the passport;
- Ten-year validity booklet that saves a frequent visit to passport offices;
- Automation of issuance process to bring about transparency and address touting/middlemen;
- Strictly online payment based
Buhari has also made it easy for Africans to travel into Nigeria, the continent’s most populous country by reforming its visa policy and issuing visas on arrival to all African nationals.
- IMPROVEMENT OF THE POLICE FORCE
With the insecurity in the country, one aspect Buhari got right was in the appointment of Mohammed Adamu as the Inspector General of police. The ever-smiling, responsive police boss has taken a stance in championing the activities of the police force towards positivity despite the indiscretions of a few bad eggs within the force.
Mohammed Abubakar Adamu assumed office on the 15th of January 2019, he was welcomed with internal security challenges like kidnapping, armed robbery, Banditry and cybercrime amongst others. Before he became the police boss, the link and trust between citizens and the police were completely lost. That seems to have been restored. The police have recorded more successes in terms of arrests within a shorter time and its public image has also been revamped.
- AGRICULTURE
While there is still a long way to go for agriculture to help in diversifying Nigeria’s economy, President Buhari took a step in the right direction when he made provision of N82billion agricultural credit loans through the Anchor Borrowers Program of the CBN to 350,000 farmers in funding for rice, wheat, maize, cotton, cassava, poultry, soybeans, and groundnut.
The Buhari-led administration also secured the approval of a grant of $1.1 million from the African Development Bank (AfDB) for the restructuring of the Bank of Agriculture.
The APC led administration also initiated the Home Grown Feeding Program to reduce importation and market monopoly of farm produce that can be grown and processed in Nigeria.
- IMPLEMENTATION OF TREASURY SINGLE ACCOUNT (TSA)
Despite being accused of championing a one-sided fight against corruption, Buhari got it right when he took the treasury single account initiative of the past administration and implemented it, saving the country as much as 10 trillion Naira since 2015.
Buhari blocked loopholes that enabled corruption with the closure of over 20,000 fraudulent bank accounts in ministries, departments, and agencies of government and used the treasury single account to collate government monies into a single account through automation.
With TSA implementation, the government has been able to save over N45 billion in monthly interests on its borrowings from banks and a total of N50 billion from MDAs was recovered from commercial banks.
- ACCENTING DEEP OFFSHORE (AND INLAND BASIN PRODUCTION SHARING CONTRACT) ACT
Buhari repaired a 15 years long error on the 4th of November and did not allow distance to prevent him from doing so when he signed the Deep Offshore (and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract) amendment bill into law in far away London. With the amendment of the production sharing contract, Nigeria will gain at least $1.5 billion in revenue in 2020.
Nigeria will now receive its fair, rightful and equitable share of income from its natural resources for the first time since 2003 as it embodies a gradation of fiscal incentives with a zero royalty and 50% chargeable profit from oil exploration and production companies involved in exploration beyond 1000 meters water depth.
- RECOVERY OF STOLEN FUNDS
Over the years, Nigerian leaders steadily helped themselves to state funds. The Buhari administration has helped in the recovery of many of these funds, as during his first year in office, he reportedly recovered assets and funds totaling $9.1 billion in its anti-corruption drive.
Buhari has overseen the recovery of assets that include monies withheld by past government officials, monies kept in private accounts, monies diverted to private pockets and monies in possession of government officials not disclosed after leaving government.
- ADOPTION OF E- GOVERNANCE
Another area of improvement recorded under Buhari is the adoption of E-Governance. Buhari is set to eliminate bureaucracies with the digitalization of government agencies and introducing efficiency into government processes. Some examples of areas where these improvements occurred include; the implementation of the treasury single account and the use of Remita for payment into government agencies.
Life has been made easier for intending business owners as they can now search for company names and upload their registration documents at their convenience on the website of the Corporate Affairs Commission. The Nigerian road safety has also begun the registration of all cars on Nigerian roads into its database for ease of identification.
- INTRODUCTION OF SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAM
In a bid to reduce the alarming number of out of school children and encourage the poor to go back to school, Buhari’s government spends N70 per meal daily to feed over 9.7 million pupils in 53,715 government primary schools in 31 States under the National Home-Grown School Feeding Program.
The government engages the services of women who source their food items directly from the local farmers in the area. This program has seen an increase in enrolment in schools by 20%.
At our number 1 spot is
- IMPROVEMENT IN EASE OF DOING BUSINESS
Oh, there is more to be done when it comes to creating a conducive business environment in Nigeria, but Buhari deserves a pat on the back when he inaugurated the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council in August 2016 led by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat which is in line with the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.
Buhari also issued three Executive Orders since 2017 that positively impacted Nigeria’s small business environment;
- The Executive Order on Improving Efficiency in the Business Environment
- Executive Order on Promoting Local Procurement by Government Agencies
- Executive Order on planning and execution of projects, promotion of Nigerian content in contracts and science, engineering and technology.
These policies saw Nigeria move up 15 places in the World Bank 2020 ranking of 190 countries in ease of doing business, making Nigeria one of the top 10 countries with the most notable improvements. Baby steps right?
Nigeria was recorded to have improved in starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, resolving insolvency and employing workers.
What achievements of Buhari do you think we missed? Remember it must be undeniable and undisputed.
Share your thoughts as you watch out for our; Top 10 scandals of Buhari’s administration and Top 10 things Buhari can do to improve the economy.
