As Nigeria prepares to usher in 2025, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)/Transparency International in Nigeria has raised alarm over the unresolved socio-economic challenges that characterized 2024.
By Chimezie Godfrey
As Nigeria prepares to usher in 2025, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)/Transparency International in Nigeria has raised alarm over the unresolved socio-economic challenges that characterized 2024.
In a press release signed by Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani,
Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Head of Transparency International (TI) Nigeria,
Chairman, Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), and
Board of Trustee Chairman, Amnesty International (Nigeria), the organization called for urgent and comprehensive reforms by the administration to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians and chart a path toward sustainable development.
Rafsanjani criticized the high cost of governance, which continues to divert resources away from critical sectors, adding that despite recommendations from the Orosanye Report to reduce wasteful expenditures, inefficiencies persist. “The current system perpetuates inequality and poverty while undermining efforts to drive national development,” Rafsanjani stated. He also decried unproductive state-level projects that fail to yield economic benefits.
Rafsanjani lamenting over the lingering insecurity which he said remains a major impediment to Nigeria’s progress, urged the government to adopt international best practices in intelligence, inter-agency collaboration, and resource allocation to the defense and security sectors. With escalating kidnappings and terrorist attacks, Rafsanjani emphasized the need for enhanced early warning systems and better remuneration for security personnel.
Rafsanjani highlighted the urgent need for constitutional amendments, electoral reforms, and a focus on judicial independence. “Without these reforms, the systemic flaws undermining democracy and governance will persist,” he warned. Judicial inefficiency, he noted, continues to erode public confidence in the rule of law and democratic institutions.
Nigeria’s porous borders remain a significant national security concern. “Out of 261 borders in the North-East and North-West, 137 are unguarded, facilitating the unchecked movement of terrorists, arms, and illicit funds,” Rafsanjani revealed. He called for tighter financial regulations and more robust anti-corruption measures to combat money laundering and terrorism financing.
Despite ongoing anti-corruption campaigns, Rafsanjani lamented attempts to undermine agencies like the EFCC and ICPC. He called on the government to ensure these agencies’ operational and financial independence, fully implement anti-corruption laws, and restore public confidence in governance.
He also commended the 2024 Supreme Court ruling protecting local government funds from state governors’ interference. However, he stressed the need for constitutional reforms to ensure the administrative and financial autonomy of local governments, enabling them to effectively deliver grassroots development.
Rafsanjani urged the government to adopt a holistic economic strategy focusing on diversification and public-private partnerships. “Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges require a unified blueprint to revitalize agriculture, industry, and infrastructure,” he noted.
CISLAC/TI-Nigeria emphasized that 2025 presents an opportunity for Nigeria to reset its priorities. The organization implored the government to implement bold reforms that address rising poverty, insecurity, and corruption while fostering transparency and inclusivity.
“The time for rhetoric is over. Nigeria must move decisively toward sustainable development and good governance,” Rafsanjani concluded.
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