ONE year after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu addressed the nation in response to the widespread #EndBadGovernance protests of August 2024, experts say most of the key promises made in the impassioned broadcast have yet to materialize, with citizens, especially young people, still grappling with economic hardship, insecurity, and disillusionment.
News Point Nigeria reports that on August 4, 2024, the President, in a national address, acknowledged the frustration of Nigerian youth, promised sweeping reforms, unveiled plans for massive investment in infrastructure, job creation, agriculture, education, and housing, and committed to convening a National Youth Conference to foster dialogue and restore trust.
However, twelve months later, critics argue that most of these initiatives remain on paper.
“With the exception of the Student Loan Scheme, which is a commendable step, there’s little to show for most of the other lofty pledges,” Dr. Aisha Bello, a policy analyst at the Centre for Public Engagement told News Point Nigeria.
“The National Youth Dialogue never happened. The CNG rollout is behind schedule. The housing and food security interventions are not being felt on the ground.”
The President had promised to deliver 100,000 housing units, convert one million vehicles to CNG, cultivate 10 million hectares of farmland, and provide massive MSME support to curb unemployment and inflation.
Yet, by August 2025:
Only a fraction of housing units under the Renewed Hope City project has been delivered.
The CNG initiative has been marred by delays in infrastructure deployment and low public awareness.
Food prices remain high, with no clear evidence of large-scale cultivation across states.
The Nano Business grants and MSME loans have not been evenly distributed, with many eligible businesses still waiting for access.
“The disconnect between policy announcements and ground-level impact is frustrating,” said Hamza Umar, an economist based in Kaduna. “What we see is often more rhetoric than results.”
Despite the gaps, stakeholders agree that the implementation of the Student Loan Programme stands out as a positive achievement.
As of mid-2025, over ₦45 billion has been disbursed to thousands of students across federal institutions under the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), offering a lifeline to indigent students.
“This is a meaningful legacy project,” said education rights advocate Ngozi Ude. “But it must be scaled up, better managed, and expanded to cover vocational and private institutions.”
Perhaps most glaring is the failure to convene the National Youth Conference promised by the President “to give our youth a voice.” Civil society organizations have repeatedly called for the platform as a way to rebuild trust following the violent crackdown on 2024 protests.
“Tinubu promised dialogue. One year on, no such dialogue has occurred,” said Chidi Nwankwo, coordinator of the Youth Empowerment Collective. “Youth inclusion in governance remains cosmetic.
“There’s still widespread unemployment and police brutality continues in some parts.”
In his speech, President Tinubu also highlighted achievements in security, forex stabilization, and revenue growth, stating that government revenues had doubled and debt servicing had reduced.
While some improvement in oil production and digital economy investments has been reported, inflation remains high, job creation is limited, and insecurity lingers, particularly in parts of the North-West and North-East.
“The economy is not feeling like it’s ‘recovering’ to ordinary Nigerians,” said Titi Oyebanji, a journalist covering grassroots development. “You can’t eat GDP. There’s growing fatigue.”
With the administration entering its third year, policy experts warn that credibility may erode further if citizens continue to see slow implementation, elite-centric programmes, and broken promises.
President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” mantra, once greeted with optimism, now hangs in the balance.
“If this government is serious about governance, then the remaining months of 2025 must be used to speed up delivery and reconnect with the youth,” said Dr. Aisha Bello. “Hope must become tangible.”
As Nigerians reflect on the President’s August 2024 address, the question remains: Will 2025 deliver the promises made, or will it be another year of speeches and stalled progress?