₦airaland Forum

I genuinely want to understand people who still support the current state of Nigeria. I want to see things from their perspective and understand what exactly gives them hope or confidence in the system.

Here are some of the reasons why I have become deeply frustrated with Nigeria as a country.

Nigeria took control of our God-given natural resources, declared them government property, made enormous amounts of money from them for decades, yet the results are disappointing.

No Proper Public Water Supply
Most citizens still have to dig boreholes just to access water. In many places, there is no reliable treated water system provided by the government.
No Stable Electricity
Even after digging your own borehole, you still struggle with electricity to pump the water. I remember how stressful it was carrying my heavy generator downstairs several times a week just to pump water. It is exhausting.
Poor Network and Internet Services
You constantly battle with poor network coverage. Please do not tell me network is good in your area. Good network should be standard across all major cities, state capitals, and urban centers. Starlink practically came to rescue internet access for many Nigerians, just as generators and solar systems became alternatives to failed electricity infrastructure.
Healthcare Is a Nightmare
Many of our best doctors have left the country in search of better pay and better working conditions. We are left with fewer doctors, poorly funded hospitals, and overwhelmed healthcare systems. Even the hospital I use had to install massive solar infrastructure, and the cost was indirectly transferred to patients like us.
Insecurity Has Become Terrifying
Going to bed in Nigeria now feels frightening. You could be kidnapped. Your children could be kidnapped. Armed bandits have taken over many highways and rural communities. The number of Nigerians kidnapped monthly from their homes and roads is alarming.

Personally, I have not traveled outside the state I currently live in for about three years because of insecurity. The last time I had to travel, I used a flight because the roads no longer felt safe.

The economy is brutal too. One million naira disappears before you even realize it. Citizens practically fund every social need by themselves.

Even as an individual earning ₦30 million yearly, if you are a family man, you can still feel financially drained unless you are willing to lower your standard of living significantly. The moment you try to maintain a higher quality of life, the expenses become overwhelming.

To afford:

24/7 electricity
Reliable water supply
Proper healthcare
Quality education for your children
Good internet like Starlink
Healthy feeding
One or two family vacations yearly

…you may still spend the entire year struggling financially despite earning what should normally be considered a strong income.

Nigerians Pay Heavy Taxes Without Real Value in Return
The government makes enormous amounts of money from citizens. When we heard how much companies like MTN paid in taxes, many people celebrated. But where did that money come from? It came from ordinary Nigerians paying for services.

Nigerians are heavily taxed, whether people realize it or not.

Every USSD transaction attracts charges. Bank transfers attract charges. Driver’s licenses, passports, imports, exports, ATM withdrawals, and countless services all come with taxes, levies, or fees.

You could earn ₦100,000 and unknowingly spend over ₦15,000 through different forms of indirect taxation and service charges.

Companies like Meta and Google also pay taxes to the Nigerian government, but that money still ultimately comes from hardworking Nigerians using their platforms and services.

Yet despite all this, the government still wants to widen income taxation, especially targeting the informal sector — people who built businesses and survived without meaningful government support.

Housing Costs Are Becoming Unbearable
Rent keeps increasing while purchasing power keeps dropping drastically. So how exactly are citizens expected to afford decent housing?

And then people ask why crime is increasing. Survival itself has become extremely difficult.

Nigeria is also a highly dependent society where one individual is often responsible for supporting parents, siblings, spouse, and children at the same time.

Education Is Becoming Unsafe and Unreliable
Honestly, many public schools look abandoned. Some of the videos online make government schools resemble neglected facilities. A lot of parents no longer trust public education, so they are forced into expensive private schools.

So, what exactly is my benefit as a Nigerian citizen?

I know how much money Nigeria takes from me yearly. Even as a freelancer before this aggressive tax expansion, VAT was already deducted from many services and transactions I paid for. The government already made significant money from me indirectly.

Now, after paying VAT across products and services, people are still expected to surrender a large percentage of their income through direct taxation.

Copying systems from countries like the UK without building equivalent infrastructure and public services first is unfair.

I am honestly drained. Nigeria feels suffocating.

And the worst part?

Corruption remains deeply rooted.
Politicians still abuse public institutions.
Elections are still heavily questioned.
Huge amounts of money are spent maintaining politicians and their families.

Citizens are constantly told to endure hardship. But why does it seem like only ordinary Nigerians are expected to suffer?

Can politicians not endure too?

Are citizens alone supposed to make sacrifices while the political class continues living comfortably?

For those who still strongly support the current state of Nigeria, I genuinely want to understand your reasons.

30m a year na still big money na...if NET end up at 25m sef..na big money..except the person no sabi use money

15M is more than enough to ball in a year and u can comfortably save another 15m.no deceive urself.15m is like spending 1.25m monthly.400k is more than enough to fuel car in a month (like around 300litre- where u wan even go with 300litre in a month) 500k more than enough for good quality food
300k for miscellaneous .
Infact how many families even fit afford 1m for monthly spending in this 9ja.

The only way to measure whether a country is paying too much tax is the tax to GDP ratio and not how many times you were charged by the bank and at other places

How much income do you think is needed by a family of five comprising of parents and kids for them to live comfortably in an average Nigerian city?

ozo13:
15M is more than enough to ball in a year and u can comfortably save another 15m.no deceive urself.15m is like spending 1.25m monthly.400k is more than enough to fuel car in a month (like around 300litre- where u wan even go with 300litre in a month) 500k more than enough for good quality food
300k for miscellaneous .
Infact how many families even fit afford 1m for monthly spending in this 9ja.

I laugh at this.

Those posts above are funny.

They forget one thing, the more you earn, the more you’re likely to spend.

@OP.

Lenghty post ruined by misinformation. Nigerians pay some of the lowest tax in Africa and our tax to GDP ratio is around 10%. Lower than the African average of 16.5%.

We pay 7.5% value added tax while many African nation set VAT above 15%.

Diversifying our economy away from reliance on oil, over time, is the best way to make Nigerians and Nigeria richer.

Over years, and perhaps not deliberately, leaders impoverish Nigeria and Nigerians subsidizing every sector leading to an economy that has no buffers to withstand even the mildest economic stress.

They weaponised poverty with numerous subsidies giving a people with low exposure and expectations cheap fuel, unfeasible and self-destructively low power supply tariffs, cheap and substandard education incaple of producing the STEM standard (science, technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Nigwria needs to creat her own solutions across all sectors of socio-economic life, etc, etc.

That is the culture we have to reverse to gain a Country where private sector wealth creation, like the USA, can be commendable.and a driver of greater individual and national wealth.

rickpat:
30m a year na still big money na...if NET end up at 25m sef..na big money..except the person no sabi use money

don't mind them

Many of them are ready to do stupid things cos they have an escape route which is to blame the government

Give them 10 billion naira per day and they will still tell u it's not enough, I don't take them serious cos obviously many of them don't know the value of money and are been fed by their parents

Princedapace:
I laugh at this.

nobody sends someone like u cos we know no amount is enough for your type, u won't b surprised if u are been fed by your parents.

I can bet if u are given 50 billion naira per month u will still say it's not enough

Keep living on your delusion

Inflation rate is high, but 30m is a considerable amount. Very few people earn that

ozo13:
15M is more than enough to ball in a year and u can comfortably save another 15m.no deceive urself.15m is like spending 1.25m monthly.400k is more than enough to fuel car in a month (like around 300litre- where u wan even go with 300litre in a month) 500k more than enough for good quality food
300k for miscellaneous .
Infact how many families even fit afford 1m for monthly spending in this 9ja.

To live a good life? yes
To ball is a different matter

Sheuns:
Those posts above are funny.

They forget one thing, the more you earn, the more you’re likely to spend.

Why do you have to spend much more than normal because you earn more?
If the more you spend is operational cost, running cost, that generates that more income - fine
If for example you have to pay more for nanny because you will now spend more time at work or on business trips-yes
Otherwise why do you have to spend more

For goodness sake.Stop whining and educate the people around you.When you educate them,then you will be able to organize them which will enable them to vote out the thieving so-called leaders in the Nigerian landscape.Even voting in your desired local Govt councillor is a great step forward.
Nigerians have got to be more pro-active in their lives and less reactionary and complainey

It is pure wickedness, extreme selfishness and extreme tribalism that is making some people to still be supporting Bola Tinubu and his woeful government

WizardOfNG:
@OP.

Lenghty post ruined by misinformation. Nigerians pay some of the lowest tax in Africa and our tax to GDP ratio is around 10%. Lower than the African average of 16.5%.

We pay 7.5% value added tax while many African nation set VAT above 15%.

Diversifying our economy away from reliance on oil, over time, is the best way to make Nigerians and Nigeria richer.

Over years, and perhaps not deliberately, leaders impoverish Nigeria and Nigerians subsidizing every sector leading to an economy that has no buffers to withstand even the mildest economic stress.

They weaponised poverty with numerous subsidies giving a people with low exposure and expectations cheap fuel, unfeasible and self-destructively low power supply tariffs, cheap and substandard education incaple of producing the STEM standard (science, technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Nigwria needs to creat her own solutions across all sectors of socio-economic life, etc, etc.

That is the culture we have to reverse to gain a Country where private sector wealth creation, like the USA, can be commendable.and a driver of greater individual and national wealth.

Oh boy 👦 you don feed Me with statistics sotey my belle won burst open.

You are very correct op. No hope of the country getting better and no amount of money you think you have in your bank account will not become very useless in few years from now. Many people will struggle to start earning 2m a month and then another evil wave of inflation will hit them and turn 2m to the worth of 100k of these days. It's a matter of time.

I pity the next generation.

Princedapace:
I genuinely want to understand people who still support the current state of Nigeria. I want to see things from their perspective and understand what exactly gives them hope or confidence in the system.

Here are some of the reasons why I have become deeply frustrated with Nigeria as a country.

Nigeria took control of our God-given natural resources, declared them government property, made enormous amounts of money from them for decades, yet the results are disappointing.

No Proper Public Water Supply
Most citizens still have to dig boreholes just to access water. In many places, there is no reliable treated water system provided by the government.
No Stable Electricity
Even after digging your own borehole, you still struggle with electricity to pump the water. I remember how stressful it was carrying my heavy generator downstairs several times a week just to pump water. It is exhausting.
Poor Network and Internet Services
You constantly battle with poor network coverage. Please do not tell me network is good in your area. Good network should be standard across all major cities, state capitals, and urban centers. Starlink practically came to rescue internet access for many Nigerians, just as generators and solar systems became alternatives to failed electricity infrastructure.
Healthcare Is a Nightmare
Many of our best doctors have left the country in search of better pay and better working conditions. We are left with fewer doctors, poorly funded hospitals, and overwhelmed healthcare systems. Even the hospital I use had to install massive solar infrastructure, and the cost was indirectly transferred to patients like us.
Insecurity Has Become Terrifying
Going to bed in Nigeria now feels frightening. You could be kidnapped. Your children could be kidnapped. Armed bandits have taken over many highways and rural communities. The number of Nigerians kidnapped monthly from their homes and roads is alarming.

Personally, I have not traveled outside the state I currently live in for about three years because of insecurity. The last time I had to travel, I used a flight because the roads no longer felt safe.

The economy is brutal too. One million naira disappears before you even realize it. Citizens practically fund every social need by themselves.

Even as an individual earning ₦30 million yearly, if you are a family man, you can still feel financially drained unless you are willing to lower your standard of living significantly. The moment you try to maintain a higher quality of life, the expenses become overwhelming.

To afford:

24/7 electricity
Reliable water supply
Proper healthcare
Quality education for your children
Good internet like Starlink
Healthy feeding
One or two family vacations yearly

…you may still spend the entire year struggling financially despite earning what should normally be considered a strong income.

Nigerians Pay Heavy Taxes Without Real Value in Return
The government makes enormous amounts of money from citizens. When we heard how much companies like MTN paid in taxes, many people celebrated. But where did that money come from? It came from ordinary Nigerians paying for services.

Nigerians are heavily taxed, whether people realize it or not.

Every USSD transaction attracts charges. Bank transfers attract charges. Driver’s licenses, passports, imports, exports, ATM withdrawals, and countless services all come with taxes, levies, or fees.

You could earn ₦100,000 and unknowingly spend over ₦15,000 through different forms of indirect taxation and service charges.

Companies like Meta and Google also pay taxes to the Nigerian government, but that money still ultimately comes from hardworking Nigerians using their platforms and services.

Yet despite all this, the government still wants to widen income taxation, especially targeting the informal sector — people who built businesses and survived without meaningful government support.

Housing Costs Are Becoming Unbearable
Rent keeps increasing while purchasing power keeps dropping drastically. So how exactly are citizens expected to afford decent housing?

And then people ask why crime is increasing. Survival itself has become extremely difficult.

Nigeria is also a highly dependent society where one individual is often responsible for supporting parents, siblings, spouse, and children at the same time.

Education Is Becoming Unsafe and Unreliable
Honestly, many public schools look abandoned. Some of the videos online make government schools resemble neglected facilities. A lot of parents no longer trust public education, so they are forced into expensive private schools.

So, what exactly is my benefit as a Nigerian citizen?

I know how much money Nigeria takes from me yearly. Even as a freelancer before this aggressive tax expansion, VAT was already deducted from many services and transactions I paid for. The government already made significant money from me indirectly.

Now, after paying VAT across products and services, people are still expected to surrender a large percentage of their income through direct taxation.

Copying systems from countries like the UK without building equivalent infrastructure and public services first is unfair.

I am honestly drained. Nigeria feels suffocating.

And the worst part?

Corruption remains deeply rooted.
Politicians still abuse public institutions.
Elections are still heavily questioned.
Huge amounts of money are spent maintaining politicians and their families.

Citizens are constantly told to endure hardship. But why does it seem like only ordinary Nigerians are expected to suffer?

Can politicians not endure too?

Are citizens alone supposed to make sacrifices while the political class continues living comfortably?

For those who still strongly support the current state of Nigeria, I genuinely want to understand your reasons.

You wey no get job dey write nonsense.
You don see N1m before?

If dem give this one 100 million per year he go still complain… I tired for people , do you think it is rosy in other countries. Why is it so hard for that your uncle in Abroad to send money!!!. Everything government government. People needs to learn financial education Some people will see 30 million. They see 200 million because they already know the type of business they will do with quarter of money to generate sustainable cash flow per month..

Some of the comments just keeps me laughing.

@op, poverty has finished the people. Someone belonging to the same WhatsApp group of the posters above me said that 50k is able to make someone live COMFORTABLY in Nigeria.

Anyways, people who eat free food and have no burden to shoulder won't understand the current state of the country.

franchasng:
It is pure wickedness, extreme selfishness and extreme tribalism that is making some people to still be supporting Bola Tinubu and his woeful government

What is the name of your state Governor?

ozo13:
15M is more than enough to ball in a year and u can comfortably save another 15m.no deceive urself.15m is like spending 1.25m monthly.400k is more than enough to fuel car in a month (like around 300litre- where u wan even go with 300litre in a month) 500k more than enough for good quality food
300k for miscellaneous .
Infact how many families even fit afford 1m for monthly spending in this 9ja.

lol....kkjklkljikjijijioiojio

The economy is in shambles

favor914:
What is the name of your state Governor?

Me and you are not on the same level or wavelength.

I don't have a Nigerian Governor.


I am only pressing for a better Nigeria for people like you. We want you guys to experience good life and good governance in your lifetime so that you will realize that Nigeria has been under bondage for years.



And for your information leadership flows from top to bottom and not from bottom to top.


If the President is performing, other lower government officials will fall in line.

Only the President have the constitutional power and resources to fight insecurity and combat corruption in all cadres of government.


The buck stops at the President's office.


A better Nigeria can only start from a better President and not Governor or Senator or LGA Chairmen

WizardOfNG:
@OP.

Lenghty post ruined by misinformation. Nigerians pay some of the lowest tax in Africa and our tax to GDP ratio is around 10%. Lower than the African average of 16.5%.

We pay 7.5% value added tax while many African nation set VAT above 15%.

Diversifying our economy away from reliance on oil, over time, is the best way to make Nigerians and Nigeria richer.

Over years, and perhaps not deliberately, leaders impoverish Nigeria and Nigerians subsidizing every sector leading to an economy that has no buffers to withstand even the mildest economic stress.

They weaponised poverty with numerous subsidies giving a people with low exposure and expectations cheap fuel, unfeasible and self-destructively low power supply tariffs, cheap and substandard education incaple of producing the STEM standard (science, technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Nigwria needs to creat her own solutions across all sectors of socio-economic life, etc, etc.

That is the culture we have to reverse to gain a Country where private sector wealth creation, like the USA, can be commendable.and a driver of greater individual and national wealth.

Paying the lowest tax in Africa is not the issue, the issue is what are they doing with the taxes?

They removed fuel, Education, and electricity subsidies, what significant change have we seen with all the monies saved from there? Instead, they keep borrowing from any available lender, we will soon borrow from The Gambia.

franchasng:
Me and you are not on the same level or wavelength.

I don't have a Nigerian Governor.


I am only pressing for a better Nigeria for people like you. We want you guys to experience good life in your lifetime

Charity they say begins @ home, what is the name of your local government chairman, & the name of your state Governor?

1m go do me well oo just 1m

Princedapace:
I genuinely want to understand people who still support the current state of Nigeria. I want to see things from their perspective and understand what exactly gives them hope or confidence in the system.

Here are some of the reasons why I have become deeply frustrated with Nigeria as a country.

Nigeria took control of our God-given natural resources, declared them government property, made enormous amounts of money from them for decades, yet the results are disappointing.

No Proper Public Water Supply
Most citizens still have to dig boreholes just to access water. In many places, there is no reliable treated water system provided by the government.
No Stable Electricity
Even after digging your own borehole, you still struggle with electricity to pump the water. I remember how stressful it was carrying my heavy generator downstairs several times a week just to pump water. It is exhausting.
Poor Network and Internet Services
You constantly battle with poor network coverage. Please do not tell me network is good in your area. Good network should be standard across all major cities, state capitals, and urban centers. Starlink practically came to rescue internet access for many Nigerians, just as generators and solar systems became alternatives to failed electricity infrastructure.
Healthcare Is a Nightmare
Many of our best doctors have left the country in search of better pay and better working conditions. We are left with fewer doctors, poorly funded hospitals, and overwhelmed healthcare systems. Even the hospital I use had to install massive solar infrastructure, and the cost was indirectly transferred to patients like us.
Insecurity Has Become Terrifying
Going to bed in Nigeria now feels frightening. You could be kidnapped. Your children could be kidnapped. Armed bandits have taken over many highways and rural communities. The number of Nigerians kidnapped monthly from their homes and roads is alarming.

Personally, I have not traveled outside the state I currently live in for about three years because of insecurity. The last time I had to travel, I used a flight because the roads no longer felt safe.

The economy is brutal too. One million naira disappears before you even realize it. Citizens practically fund every social need by themselves.

Even as an individual earning ₦30 million yearly, if you are a family man, you can still feel financially drained unless you are willing to lower your standard of living significantly. The moment you try to maintain a higher quality of life, the expenses become overwhelming.

To afford:

24/7 electricity
Reliable water supply
Proper healthcare
Quality education for your children
Good internet like Starlink
Healthy feeding
One or two family vacations yearly

…you may still spend the entire year struggling financially despite earning what should normally be considered a strong income.

Nigerians Pay Heavy Taxes Without Real Value in Return
The government makes enormous amounts of money from citizens. When we heard how much companies like MTN paid in taxes, many people celebrated. But where did that money come from? It came from ordinary Nigerians paying for services.

Nigerians are heavily taxed, whether people realize it or not.

Every USSD transaction attracts charges. Bank transfers attract charges. Driver’s licenses, passports, imports, exports, ATM withdrawals, and countless services all come with taxes, levies, or fees.

You could earn ₦100,000 and unknowingly spend over ₦15,000 through different forms of indirect taxation and service charges.

Companies like Meta and Google also pay taxes to the Nigerian government, but that money still ultimately comes from hardworking Nigerians using their platforms and services.

Yet despite all this, the government still wants to widen income taxation, especially targeting the informal sector — people who built businesses and survived without meaningful government support.

Housing Costs Are Becoming Unbearable
Rent keeps increasing while purchasing power keeps dropping drastically. So how exactly are citizens expected to afford decent housing?

And then people ask why crime is increasing. Survival itself has become extremely difficult.

Nigeria is also a highly dependent society where one individual is often responsible for supporting parents, siblings, spouse, and children at the same time.

Education Is Becoming Unsafe and Unreliable
Honestly, many public schools look abandoned. Some of the videos online make government schools resemble neglected facilities. A lot of parents no longer trust public education, so they are forced into expensive private schools.

So, what exactly is my benefit as a Nigerian citizen?

I know how much money Nigeria takes from me yearly. Even as a freelancer before this aggressive tax expansion, VAT was already deducted from many services and transactions I paid for. The government already made significant money from me indirectly.

Now, after paying VAT across products and services, people are still expected to surrender a large percentage of their income through direct taxation.

Copying systems from countries like the UK without building equivalent infrastructure and public services first is unfair.

I am honestly drained. Nigeria feels suffocating.

And the worst part?

Corruption remains deeply rooted.
Politicians still abuse public institutions.
Elections are still heavily questioned.
Huge amounts of money are spent maintaining politicians and their families.

Citizens are constantly told to endure hardship. But why does it seem like only ordinary Nigerians are expected to suffer?

Can politicians not endure too?

Are citizens alone supposed to make sacrifices while the political class continues living comfortably?

For those who still strongly support the current state of Nigeria, I genuinely want to understand your reasons.

I will try my very best to answer you not as a supporter of the apc but as a Nigerian who advocates proper governance .

First the decay didn't start with this government, it is over 50 years old , when nigeria found wealth with oil in the 70s Gowon made that famous statement that Nigeria's problem is not money but how to spend it , that was the beginning of the lack of accountability that entered governance in nigeria as politicians ajd even the military ended up spending money on white elephant projects, doing subsidy ,and dashing our fellow african countries money .

Meanwhile other countries like uae who also found wealth in oil around the same time sat down and mapped out a blueprint on how to use the oil wealth to develop their country .

You can blame tinubu all you want but the reason I admire his courage is that he didn't come in and do the same populist nonsense other leaders that got us into the mess in the first place , at least he tried to reform the system.

No politician in his first term will try what tinubu did .

Finally , after all said and done even if he looses and a new person comes in how sure are you that they won't continue with Tinubu’s policies ?
Will they revoke the tax act ?
Will they bring back subsidy and begin to pay dangote to supply fuel at 500 per litre ?

Where will they get funds to pay off all our debts ?etc

Forget partisan politics for an instance and go thru all I wrote logically and reply .

lawani:
The only way to measure whether a country is paying too much tax is the tax to GDP ratio and not how many times you were charged by the bank and at other places

How much income do you think is needed by a family of five comprising of parents and kids for them to live comfortably in an average Nigerian city?

Just 30k is needed by a family of such number

Depends on location, family size and lifestyle. But very few can earn 6m pa and they are doing fine

30M naira annually or 2.5M naira monthly is still a big money.
If this level of earnings is sustainable, you can afford to live fine not just surviving.

favor914:
Charity they say begins @ home, what is the name of your local government chairman, & the name of your state Governor?

Governors or LGA Chairmen don't make laws in Nigeria.


Governors don't control even the Police in their state in Nigeria today.


Governors don't make tax laws or decide which law to be signed.


Governors cannot make electoral or judicial reforms, only the President can in Nigeria.


A lot of things are on the exclusive list of the federal government meaning Governors and LGAs are handicapped on what and what to do, their power is limited, only the President of Nigeria have a limitless power to do whatever he wants.



Meanwhile, not everyone on this forum or social media live in your dehumanized Nigeria


We are pressing for a better Nigeria for people like you that don't know what it means to experience good governance

You guys will just be quoting money