Nigeria needs basic amenities

Renaming Nigeria is not Nigeria’s problem or a necessity. Nigeria needs good roads, security, electricity, healthcare services, good water, schools and good governance. 

The lack of these basic amenities has held up development in Nigeria. 
Nigeria has the largest population on the African continent. It is the most populous country in Africa, with an estimated population of 206 million, it has over 500 indigenous languages which are spoken throughout the country and there are more than 250 ethnic groups. But the question is, what is the government providing and doing to provide basic amenities for this large population.Over the years, Nigeria has been characterised by bad economy, high level of crime, including armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom, home invasions, carjacking and violent assault.

The standard of living is low. Nigeria is characterised by bad governance centred on not only corruption within the system but a lack of transparency and accountability, arbitrary policy making and the cheating of Nigerians, various malpractices by the state and its workers.Nevertheless, this type of governance affects the poorest Nigerians and leaves them vulnerable, as they are denied basic necessities such as healthcare, food and shelter.Instead of renaming the country, which has nothing to do with its development, the Nigerian government should focus on providing the basic amenities that the country lacks.

It should provide education, health, good roads, power supply, employment, water to avoid diseases, and corrupt-free government. The government needs to play a positive role in infrastructure development of Nigeria and shun unnecessary actions that won’t benefits the country.


Deborah Pindar Gideon, Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri