Nigerians Facing Worsening Hardship, Shrinking Civic Space, Rights Group Warns

Nigeria’s economic, governance and security challenges have worsened, and the citizens are facing more hardship, shrinking civic space and an accelerated drift towards a one-party system, the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has said.

Speaking at a news conference in Abuja yesterday on the state of the nation, the executive director of the center, Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, said Nigerians endured severe economic pressure in 2025 marked by high inflation, weak purchasing power, rising unemployment and declining public services.

According to him, although official data suggested moderation in inflation and marginal drops in the prices of certain food items within the period, many citizens remained unable to afford basic necessities due to low incomes and job losses.

“Prices remain high, wages are stagnant and the erosion of purchasing power has continued,” Zikirullahi said, adding that transportation costs, healthcare expenses and the price of essential goods placed households under intense strain.

He warned that farmers were also affected by rising input costs, including fertiliser, transportation and labour, noting that lack of a comprehensive support framework could discourage agricultural production in the coming season and worsen food insecurity.

On governance, CHRICED criticised extravagant public spendings amid widespread poverty.

Zikirullahi faulted the failure to implement the Oronsaye Report which recommends the rationalisation of government agencies to reduce the cost of governance.

“While citizens are being asked to make sacrifices, the cost of governance continues to rise,” he said, describing the situation as a widening gap between political leaders and the people.

The organisation also expressed concern over the conduct of elections in 2025, particularly off-cycle and local government polls, citing allegations of voter suppression, violence and lack of competitiveness in several states.

It warned that these developments were eroding public confidence in the electoral process.

Zikirullahi further raised alarm over increasing consolidation of political power following mass defection of opposition lawmakers and governors to the ruling party, saying the trend weakened accountability and political pluralism.

“In a healthy democracy, competition and dissent are essential. What we are witnessing is a steady erosion of these principles,” he said.

On security, CHRICED said persistent kidnappings, banditry and insurgency continued despite heavy budgetary allocations to the sector, forcing farmers off their lands, disrupting education and displacing communities.