Could Nigeria's election set it on a new path to prosperity? | DW News

By On Feb 23, 2023

Nigeria’s election on the 25th of February could be a turning point for the country. DW talked to people about what’s at stake for them in this vote. Muhamadu Buhari is leaving office after two terms and he hands over a country that’s on the brink. The economy is underperforming, employment and inflation are soaring, while tens of millions of Nigerians live in abject poverty. Security remains a major challenge. Islamist insurgents are waging terror in the north, criminal gangs are kidnapping people, including children, and demanding ransom. Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil producer yet it suffers fuel scarcity.
One of the most pressing challenges is the country’s shortage of hard cash. The government decided to replace the local currency with new bank notes, leading to a scarcity of money and triggering violent unrest across the country.
Three years ago, young people filled Nigeria’s streets, furious at police brutality and poor government. This is one of the spots where people turnrd out here in the capital. They were protesting against a notorious police unit called SARS – and their protests went down in history as the End Sars-movement.
These grassroots groups are now organizing and encouraging more young people to vote. Nearly 10 million new voters are now registered. As most of them under 35, this could be a game changer. DW’s Flourish Chukwurah went to meet one of the organizers and takes a look at how young Nigerians are turning political.
With so many struggling to get by, people are forced to put up for sale whatever they have – and that includes their vote. DW’s Amaka Okoye went to a community in northeast Nigeria where people are offering their vote to the higest bidder – but she also found one man trying to persuade them not to.
As many young Nigerians are feeling the pinch of the high cost of living and lack of opportunities, thousands of them are leaving, in search of better opportunities elsewhere. Those abroad don’t have a ballot, but they’ve already voted with their feet. DW’s Shola Lawal looks at Nigeria’s Brain Drain and meets one young expat now living in Berlin.
So who thinks they are up to the monumental task of fixing Nigeria? Officially, there are 18 candidates, but only three have a realistic chance of winning. DW’s Flourish Chukwurah sums them up.