Here is a roundup of some Nigerian newspaper headlines, accompanied by our advocacy-driven demands for government action in addressing citizens’ concerns.
1. The Guardian: BudgIT Uncovers 11,122 Projects Worth N6.9 trillion Inserted Into 2025 Budget
Prominent civic tech organisation promoting transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s public finance, BudgIT, has uncovered 11,122 projects valued at N6.93 trillion inserted by the National Assembly into the 2025 federal government budget.
Our Take: This revelation demands immediate and transparent investigation as well as a public audit of the budgeting process. The National Assembly must account for these insertions, while the executive arm must demonstrate political will by rejecting illegitimate allocations and prioritising transparency, fiscal discipline, and service delivery over political patronage.
2. Punch: May 29: Tinubu to Review Ministers’ Scorecards
The Punch reports that with President Bola Tinubu’s second anniversary in office barely a week away, the Central Results Delivery and Coordination Unit is racing to present him a fresh set of ministerial scorecards.
Our Take: As President Tinubu prepares to assess his ministers’ performance at the midpoint of his administration, Nigerians must seize this moment to demand that the scorecards go beyond paperwork and are made public. Citizens deserve to see clear, measurable outcomes, not vague claims of progress. The presidency should publish these assessments and ensure that non-performing ministers are replaced.
3. Daily Trust: Protest as Stray Bullet Kills WAEC Student in Oyo
A schoolboy was reportedly killed by a stray bullet allegedly fired by a policeman, triggering protests in the Alakia–Gbagi area of Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on Tuesday.
Our Take: This incident is an indictment of reckless policing in Nigeria. The Nigerian police should stop issuing mere promises and start delivering real reforms. Beyond arresting the officer involved, we demand a full investigation, immediate suspension, and prosecution.
4. Vanguard: 2.9 Million Nigerian Children Suffering from Severe Malnutrition – UNICEF
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that about 2.9 million children in Nigeria are suffering from acute severe malnutrition (SAM).
Our Take: This crisis demands more than rhetoric; it requires decisive, coordinated action. The Federal Ministry of Health, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and state governments must urgently strengthen nutrition interventions, ensure the availability of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), and deploy trained personnel to rural and underserved communities.
