Democratic Governance and Policy Implementation under the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administration in Nigeria: An Assessment of Achievements and Challenges

Abstract

This study critically examines democratic governance and public policy implementation under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria, covering the period from his inauguration on 29 May 2023 through the midterm assessment point of 2025. By analysing the administration's policy agenda, including fuel subsidy removal, foreign exchange unification, tax reform, local government financial autonomy, the Student Loans Act, and the Electricity Act, this research assesses the extent to which Tinubu's governance has fulfilled its democratic obligations to the Nigerian citizenry, strengthened institutional frameworks, and promoted socio-economic development. The study employs a qualitative research design anchored in four theoretical frameworks such as democratic governance theory, new institutionalism, political economy theory, and transformational leadership theory. Data were collected through systematic secondary research, including peer-reviewed journal articles, government documents, international organisation reports, and credible media analyses published between 2020 and 2025. Findings reveal a governance paradox; the administration has achieved demonstrable macro-economic improvements including GDP growth of 3.87 per cent in 2025, a reduction of the fiscal deficit from 5.4 per cent to 3.0 per cent of GDP, a return to trade surplus, increased foreign reserves to $23 billion, and landmark legislative reforms, while simultaneously presiding over a deepening poverty crisis, record inflation, the violent suppression of the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests, serious civil liberties concerns, mounting public debt now exceeding ₦159 trillion, and persistent insecurity that has made Nigeria the world's fourth most terrorized country in 2026. The study concludes that while the structural reform direction of the administration is broadly sound, the absence of inclusive implementation, adequate social protection, and robust democratic accountability mechanisms has undermined the developmental potential of otherwise ambitious policies. The paper advances fifteen evidence-based policy recommendations for strengthening democratic governance and improving socio-economic outcomes in Nigeria.