Today, May 29, 2026, President Bola Tinubu marks the third anniversary of his administration. From the inception of President Tinubu’s administration, tagged the Renewed Hope Agenda, several reforms aimed at repositioning the country have been introduced; however, three years down the line, there are differing reactions on whether these reforms have actually served their purpose, translating into meaningful progress, or increased hardship for Nigerians.

Coming from the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerians hoped for a quick economic boost, improved security, job opportunities, and better living conditions. The Tinubu administration, although very unpopular at the time it came on board, promised to tackle long-standing challenges confronting the nation, and reform the critical sectors.

However, biting hardship, raging inflation, and astronomical cost of living are factors that have defined the administration of President Tinubu, leading to controversial debates about whether the government is actually bringing the renewed hope it promised or increasing the struggles of the average Nigerian.

One critical decision that defined the administration of President Bola Tinubu was the decision to remove fuel subsidy immediately after he assumed office. According to the government, the subsidy system had strained Nigeria’s economic resources, leading to inefficiencies and hindering Nigeria’s ability to invest in critical areas of infrastructural development and energy security.

As a result of this decision, petrol prices increased drastically across the country, transportation fares rose sharply, and the prices of goods and services skyrocketed. Small businesses across the country also struggled with higher operating costs, leaving many Nigerians with no choice but to adjust to the present harsh economy. While Nigerians felt the negative effect of this decision, economists and international financial institutions praised the move as bold, necessary and reformatory, in a manner that would position Nigeria’s economy for future prosperity.

The floating of the Naira, as a critical foreign exchange reform, was another defining decision that the Tinubu government made, and was initially targeted at unifying the official and parallel exchange markets, restoring investor confidence in the Naira, and ultimately bringing in foreign investors. However, the move caused a significant depreciation of the naira, leading to higher prices for imported goods and translated to increased economic hardship for Nigerians.

Today, in Nigeria, many families struggle to meet daily needs as the rising cost of living remains one of the biggest concerns. Food prices have continued to rise, energy costs have increased geometrically, workers’ salaries no longer match the expensive cost of living, and business owners have complained about a broad range of challenges that are stifling profitability and pushing them out of business.

Beyond these economic hardships linger the issue of insecurity, which has continued to terrify citizens of the country. Despite several promises from the government to strengthen the country’s security architecture and end insurgency, there continue to be repeated cases of kidnappings and banditry attacks. The recent kidnapping case is the abduction of 46 persons (7 teachers, and 39 students) in a terrorist attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, sparking widespread concerns.

The waves of insecurity have badly affected farming activities in several parts of the country, contributing to food shortages and rising prices. It is believed that security is one of the most significant responsibilities of any administration, and the waves of violence that have continued to rampage the country have led to strong criticism of the government’s efforts.

As evident as these challenges are, supporters of President Tinubu insist that the administration is basically laying the foundation for a sustainable government. While they point to infrastructure developments across the country and several attempts to stabilize the economy as signs that the government’s reforms may eventually be productive and effective, they believe that the present hardship is a necessary process to rebuild and reposition Nigeria’s economy.

However, this writer believes that economic reforms should not come at the expense of citizens’ welfare. Many Nigerians continue to question whether government policies are producing visible improvements in their daily lives, and the need for any form of government at all, if it will continue to fail at its basic responsibility – security of lives.

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As President Tinubu marks three years in office, the Renewed Hope agenda continues to spark divergent opinions across the country. While the administration strongly maintains that its reforms are significant processes to stabilize and boost growth across the country, many Nigerians continue to struggle with hardship and insecurity.

The third anniversary of the administration presents an opportunity to the President and his team, to strongly reflect on the experience that the Renewed Hope Agenda has delivered to Nigerians, and whether or not the heavy burden that Nigerians continue to groan under is a commensurate to whatever future benefits they may hope to get from the reforms that the Tinubu government has pursued.