Press Statement addressed by the General Assembly of ActionAid Nigeria, on the State of the Nation

ActionAid Nigeria’s General Assembly, the Board and Management, at its Annual General Meeting, reviewed the state of the nation and wish to express grave concern at developments that have continued to worsen the lives of Nigeria’s poorest and most vulnerable citizens.

The General Assembly notes and welcomes the renewed legislative push for the establishment of state police, the Federal Executive Council’s approval of comprehensive NYSC reform, and the introduction of a new community-level flood forecasting system ahead of this year’s rainy season. While these are encouraging steps, Nigerians are still waiting to see whether they translate into real protection and prosperity.

The General Assembly acknowledges that Nigeria’s external reserves have grown to about $51.5 billion as reported, but that total public debt has also increased to ₦156.28 trillion, with $11.6 billion set aside for debt servicing in 2026 alone, more than Nigeria spends on education, health, and agriculture combined. Most recently, the World Bank warned that despite recent reforms, 79% of Nigerians remain poor or vulnerable to falling into poverty. The National Bureau of Statistics also reported a June headline inflation rate of 15.91%, as food prices continue to rise, petrol sells above ₦1,100 per litre, transport costs remain high, and the ₦70,000 minimum wage cannot sustain a family anywhere in the country.

A major concern within this period is the relentless attack on schools and children. Between May and July 2026 alone, at least 124 schoolchildren and students were reported abducted across Oyo, Borno and Zamfara states, underscoring the worsening threat to education and the safety of learners in Nigeria. Many abducted children and teachers in other states remain in captivity. 

Nigeria’s 2026 flood outlook compounds this, as the Federal Government has placed 33 states and the FCT on high flood alert, with over 14,000 communities, nearly 5,000 health facilities, and over 10,000 schools at risk between July and September.

The General Assembly also reviewed Nigeria’s democratic environment ahead of the 2027 elections, drawing lessons from the Ekiti State governorship election held on 20 June 2026, as well as several National and State Assembly bye-elections. While the election was largely peaceful and saw improved logistics, there were reported allegations of vote-buying, voter intimidation, malfunctioning accreditation equipment, and inconsistencies among ballot papers, result sheets, and INEC’s published list of candidates.

The ActionAid Nigeria General Assembly urgently recommends the following:

One. The General Assembly welcomes the rescue of the 39 Oyo pupils and six surviving teachers. Still, the Federal Government must treat the rescue of all abducted children and teachers who remain in captivity as the national emergency it is. Nigeria has shown that swift rescue is possible when political will exists. There must be a visible, coordinated, adequately resourced rescue and protection operation with clear timelines and public updates. The Safe Schools Declaration must be fully funded and implemented, with community-level security in rural and newly threatened states.

Two. The Federal Government and the National Assembly must move beyond reactive military responses and develop a comprehensive strategy rooted in community intelligence, trust, and accountability. The spread of banditry into Oyo, Kogi, Lagos, Zamfara, Ogun and the recurring violence in Plateau demand honest structural rethinking, not incremental adjustments. The effort to establish state police has entered a new phase: the Senate has passed a constitutional amendment bill. At the same time, the President has transmitted a fresh Constitution Alteration Bill to the House of Representatives, which withdrew its earlier version to consider the executive proposal. We urge the National Assembly to act with urgency while ensuring that the bill’s safeguards against political abuse are preserved intact and that a credible funding framework is established so that the poorest states are not left the least protected.

Three. The Federal Government must plug revenue leakages and opaque FAAC deductions; publish full, auditable accounts of all deductions at source; and design a credible debt management framework that reduces the burden of debt servicing, currently one of the largest budget line items, and redirects resources toward investment in people.

Four. ActionAid Nigeria supports the public health goal behind the proposed sugar tax reform, but its current design risks harming small retailers, distributors, and producers who can least afford it. The Federal Government and National Assembly must urgently review the tax’s impact on small businesses, provide relief or phased timelines where needed, and ensure that the revenue it generates is clearly tracked and spent specifically on primary healthcare in underserved communities, rather than absorbed into general government spending.

Five. Exclusion errors, leakages, and political capture have plagued Nigeria’s social protection schemes. With nearly 35 million Nigerians facing acute food insecurity in the 2026 lean season, the Federal Government must audit programmes, publish beneficiary data, close delivery gaps, and ensure women, youth, and rural communities are centred in delivery.

Six. The cholera outbreak in Borno State and the rising burden of non-communicable diseases are predictable consequences of decades of underinvestment in primary healthcare. The Federal Government must fully capitalise and disburse the Basic Health Care Provision Fund; ensure that health centres in rural and underserved communities are functional, with adequate staff and drugs; and train, support, and pay community health workers on time.

Seven. INEC must take concrete steps to prove its neutrality ahead of 2027, treating the irregularities documented in the Ekiti election, vote-buying, voter intimidation, accreditation failures, and inconsistencies between ballot papers and result sheets as urgent lessons for 2027, not isolated incidents, so that Nigerians can trust the process that determines who governs them. INEC, the National Orientation Agency, CSOs, and the media must also invest in sustained, accessible voter education well ahead of polling day, particularly in rural communities, so that citizens can resist vote-buying and recognise their rights at the polling unit.

Eight. The recent reductions in the ex-depot price of petrol by the Dangote Refinery have not provided sufficient relief, as petrol still sells above ₦1,100 per litre, increasing transport and food costs. The refinery’s move to price local fuel sales in dollars also raises concerns about exchange-rate exposure and future pump prices, as this could further increase petrol, transport, and food prices, placing a heavier burden on poor households already struggling with the high cost of living. The Federal Government must ensure that lower ex-depot prices reach consumers. The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) should monitor retail stations, while the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) should work with the NMDPRA to prevent anti-competitive practices, market manipulation, and exploitative pricing.

Nine. All States and local governments must urgently clear blocked drainage channels and stop further building on known floodplains. At the same time, NEMA and state emergency agencies must be fully resourced and prepared throughout the high-risk period, which started this July and will continue through September. Nigeria cannot keep responding to a disaster it predicts every single year.

We call on civil society organisations, the media, faith communities, and all Nigerians to continue to speak up, hold the government accountable, and stand with the families whose children are still waiting to come home.

ActionAid Nigeria remains committed to standing with people living in poverty and exclusion, to pursuing social justice and gender equality, and to ensuring that Nigeria’s development does not leave the most vulnerable behind.

Thank you.