Democracy dividends: Nigerians settle for crumbs as campaign promises fail

…Look forward to onset of electioneering ahead 2027

…Lack of good governance spreads poverty

At markets, bus stops, and roadside eateries, Nigerians sigh under the weight of rising prices, epileptic services, and broken promises. Yet, beneath the frustration, there’s a resigned expectation: the next wave of relief will not come from government policies, but from the campaign trail of 2027.

For many, this has become the cycle of democracy dividends, crumbs tossed during election season.

Resigned to a rhythm of suffering and waiting

“I got my Korope (mini bus) from a politician during the 2023 campaign,” Olakunle Ibrahim, a Lagos-based transporter, said. “I just want 2027 to come quickly. At least, that time we go chop politicians’ money. For now, na sufferhead full everywhere.”

Citizens no longer look to government policies for respite, but to the stockpiled war chests that politicians unleash in the heat of campaigns. In between elections, Nigerians grapple with biting inflation, fuel price hikes, a weakened naira, and an economy struggling to find its footing.

“Dividends of democracy,” once a phrase filled with hope after the return to civil rule in 1999, has become a hollow cliché. Instead of better schools, hospitals, and jobs, it often translates to bags of rice, branded wrappers, and cash handouts that flood communities weeks before ballots are cast.

Read also: How democracy undermines development in Nigeria

The harsh present

The past few years have seen sweeping reforms, fuel subsidy removal, floating of the naira, and new tax measures, all justified as painful but necessary steps toward economic recovery. But for the average Nigerian, these policies have been bruising.

A bag of rice costs more than the monthly wage of many workers. Transport fares have tripled in some states. Electricity bills rise on tariff hike for Band A users as blackouts persist. Jobs are scarce, and small businesses fold daily under the pressure of high operating costs.

People are not just hungry; they are angry. Yet, many have come to accept their fate. “We no longer expect anything,” said Titilayo, a trader. “I’m sure that things will change next year when the campaign starts. They will bring out money.”

The election economy

Campaign seasons in Nigeria resemble festivals of cash. Politicians, desperate for votes, roll out cash distributions, “empowerment programmes,” and donations that suddenly appear after years of neglect. Towns and villages that were invisible on governance maps become campaign destinations, with roads hurriedly patched, boreholes drilled, and token jobs created.

Scholars call this the “election economy.” For the masses, it is the only time governance feels tangible.

This cycle raises fundamental questions about Nigeria’s democracy. If the dividends are reduced to temporary handouts, is democracy truly working for the people? Should Nigerians continue to wait every four years for campaign crumbs rather than demand consistent accountability and policy-driven relief?

Many Nigerians know better, but they feel powerless. “You can shout and protest, but nothing changes,” said Tunde, a civil servant in Lagos. “When election comes, at least you will get their attention and money will be rolled out.”

As the countdown to 2027 inches closer, hope is not pinned on reforms or governance, but on the cash flow that campaigns will bring. Nigerians, battered by today’s hardships, are looking forward to the crumbs that will fall from politicians’ tables once again.

It is a paradox of democracy: citizens are not waiting for policy but for politics. And until this cycle breaks, the dividends of democracy will remain a mirage, tangible only when politicians come bearing gifts in the heat of election season.