Nigerian Politics · 2026

People are being killed. Food prices are still impossible. Roads are broken. Light has not come. And somewhere in Abuja right now, a politician is rehearsing his campaign speech for an election that is still almost two years away.

Let me tell you about my neighbour, Mama Chioma. She sells akara just outside our street. Every morning, before 6am, she is already at her firewood stove. She does not talk about politics much. She talks about tomatoes. About how a basket that used to cost ₦3,500 now goes for ₦18,000. About how her children come home from school and sometimes there is no food ready because she could not sell enough that day.

Last week I asked her what she thought about 2027. She looked at me like I had said something funny. Then she said quietly, "Abeg, which 2027? Is that the one that will bring food to my pot tonight?"

I did not have an answer for her. Because honestly, nobody in power seems to have one either.

What Is Actually Happening Right Now in Nigeria

Before we get into the politics, let us just look plainly at where things stand today. Because sometimes we say "Nigeria is hard" so much that it starts to sound normal. It is not normal.

Thirty three million people. That is not a small number. That is almost the entire population of Ghana facing hunger. Inside our own Nigeria. And that number does not include the people who are eating but eating very poorly. The people skipping lunch so their children can have dinner. The civil servants surviving on one meal a day and smiling at work so their boss does not know.

In Plateau State, communities have been attacked so many times that some families have been displaced not once, not twice, but three times. They escaped to a camp. The camp was attacked. They ran again. And the security help they were promised? Still on its way.

The 2027 Campaign That Nobody Asked For But Everyone Is Getting

Here is something that might surprise you. Nigeria's electoral law is very clear. Political campaigns are supposed to start only 150 days before the election. Not two years before. Not the day after the last election ends. 150 days. That is the rule.

But what is actually happening? The Financial Times of London, one of the biggest newspapers in the world, ran a headline that read: "Nigeria enters campaign mode with elections two years away." Think about that for a moment. A foreign newspaper noticed it before most of us did.

Senators have openly campaigned for the President on the floor of the National Assembly. The Super Falcons, our national women's football team who won the 2025 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, were brought to Aso Rock to celebrate. They ended up singing a campaign song for the President. A campaign song. Our sports heroes. Used for politics. While Nigerians are still celebrating their victory at home with no electricity to power the television.

Why Politicians Love Campaigns More Than Governance

This part is important and I want to say it in a way that even a 12 year old can understand. So let us use a simple example.

Imagine you are a student. You have an exam coming. But instead of reading your books, you spend all your time telling your classmates how brilliant you are and asking them to vote for you as class captain. You make promises. You share snacks. You form groups. But the actual work of studying? You leave that for later.

That is exactly what is happening with Nigerian governance right now.

Political actors are spending less time on governance and paying more attention to getting elected. This is not a secret. It has been confirmed by political researchers, civil society groups, and even people within government itself. The most damaging effect of this premature politicking is not legal but practical. Governance takes a back seat.

The farmer in Katsina who cannot go back to his land because of bandits is not a 2027 talking point. The graduate in Lagos who has sent out 200 job applications is not a campaign strategy. The mother in Jos who buried a child this month is not a photo opportunity. These are real people. Real lives. And right now, real lives are losing to real politics.

Is There Any Hope at All?

I want to be honest with you because that is the only thing worth being at this point.

The 2027 election could genuinely matter. For millions of Nigerians grappling with economic hardship, insecurity, and uncertainty about the future, the election represents more than a routine democratic exercise. It is a chance. Maybe the last clear chance in a while to say loudly through your vote what kind of country you actually want to live in.

But here is the thing. That chance only works if you are paying attention now. Not in January 2027. Now. Because the politician who ignored your suffering in 2025 will show up at your gate in 2026 with a bag of rice and a very big smile. And if we are not careful, we will forget. We always forget. And they are counting on that.

Political elites benefit most when citizens disengage from elections. They exploit two powerful tools: fear and distrust, to discourage participation. So the most rebellious thing you can do right now is stay informed, stay angry in a productive way, and refuse to be tired.

Mama Chioma is still at her stove every morning. Still counting tomatoes. Still feeding her children the best she can with what is left after prices have taken their share. She is not asking for much. She just wants what was promised.

And honestly, is that too much to ask?

What do you think Nigeria needs most before 2027 gets here? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. I am genuinely reading every single one.