After the Nigeria-Biafra Civil war, the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC was established on May 22, 1973 to give the youths the opportunity to leave their parents and stay alone to contribute to the betterment of the West Africa country – Nigeria, interestingly, a few days ago, one of the serving Corpers, Ushie Rita Uguamaye went to the market in Lagos state to buy foodstuffs but she was shocked that the prices of foodstuffs in the month of March have again increased far more than they were previous months, apparently faced with the heat of passion, Uguamaye took to social media to call on the youths to unite and defend the country from total economy collapse, saying, it was her first time to leave her parents and start paying domestic bills alone, adding that, the money she spends on transport is more than the monthly salary NYSC is paying her, begging the youths to stage a 30 days non stop challenge protest to make the country President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu she described as a terrible person to be alive to his political and institutional responsibilities of making cost of living reasonably okay for people to afford, stressing that, some Nigerians are pretending to still be rich whereas the bad economy has pushed them into poverty, this, Reno Omokri, former presidential spokesperson who have been living abroad since 2014, reacted and said that, there is no country in the world where a paramilitary official like the Corper is permitted to criticize the government.

The youth Corps member was seen in the video crying and weeping over the deteriorating economic condition of the West Africa state.

According to her, less than 24 hours after she made the video, some officials of the NYSC summoned her to her Primary Place of Assignment, PPA local government area office, and the audio recording of the suspected NYSC official she made available to the public, the NYSC official could be heard raining curses and abusing her on the phone for criticizing the government over the apparent terrible economic hardship currently staring millions of Nigerians in the face.

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar commended the corp member for speaking out.

Atiku said: “Raye embodies the spirit of a new generation of women who champion the ideals of popular participation and unwavering advocacy in the political sphere.

I deeply admire her boldness and wisdom—her fearless resolve to speak truth to power, undeterred by the weight of opposition.

She follows in the footsteps of formidable trailblazers like Gambo Sawaba, Funmilayo Ransom-Kuti, Margaret Ekpo and countless other women who have stood resolute in defense of the common good.

Rather than being met with hostility, Raye deserves encouragement and support. She is a shining emblem of the Nigerian youth—a testament to the long-held promise that the leaders of tomorrow are already among us, ready to shape a better future”.

Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi also commended the corp member for highlighting the troubling trends ongoing in Nigeria.

Peter Obi said: “The National Youth Corps member, Ushie Rita Uguamaye, also known as Raye, recently had an experience that highlights a troubling trend in our nation—one where voices of reason and truth are met with intimidation rather than dialogue and engagement.

Reports indicate that she has faced threats from NYSC officials simply for expressing her concerns about the current administration.

This pattern is not isolated. I, too, have been subjected to threats for daring to offer constructive suggestions and comments.

I now face daily intimidation, harassment, and name-calling simply for expressing solution-based views on government policies.

Such actions are antithetical to the principles of democracy. A government that silences its citizens is not democratic or one that is subject to accountability and good governance and is most often corrupt.

I urge the current administration to reflect deeply on its approach to dissent and recognize that constructive criticism is a cornerstone of democratic progress.

To all patriotic Nigerians: Our nation’s future and development depend on our collective courage to speak out against misgovernance, injustice, and intimidation.

Do not let fear stifle your voice. Stand firm, support one another, and continue to advocate for Nigeria we all envision—a nation where freedom of speech is sacrosanct, and leadership is accountable to the people, especially in critical areas such as education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation.

A just and prosperous Nigeria should be one where people like Raye are encouraged to speak out about the challenges they face, while those in government take urgent action to address these issues”.

Condemning the action of the Youth Corps member, Reno Omokri reacted and said thus: “In any country on Earth, you can criticise your government and its leaders if you are a member of the military forces and paramilitary services. However, you are expected to resign your commission or leave the force to do so.

For the same reason, you cannot be a serving member of a military force and paramilitary service and contest for an election. You can contest. But you will have to resign your commission or leave the service to do so.

In the United Kingdom, it is even more extreme. Please fact-check me. According to the last guidelines in the HSR 2: General Principles of Conduct of the British Civil Service, “You must give your undivided allegiance to the State.”

They have no problem with you attacking the government, but you must resign to do so.

Many Nigerians are just very sentimental. They do not think. They just jump on trends. The National Youth Service Corp is actually a paramilitary reserve force. That is why it is a corp. It is just like the Federal Road Safety Corp, only that the FRSC is a career, and the NYSC is just for a year.

Read the NYSC enabling law. The Federal Government of Nigeria can deploy NYSC Corp members to fight during a state of war. Read. It is in the NYSC Act!

If every corp member was allowed to criticise the government, there would be no discipline in the corp, and any Presidential aspirant supporting this behaviour would be irresponsible.

There is no perfect government on Earth. If we allow corp members criticise governments publicly, morale in the corp will collapse. Not may. Will. And the NYSC will become an anything can happen institution that gradually loses its relevance and credibility as various corp members start vying to outdo themselves in attacking whichever government policy they dislike.

People aspiring to lead Nigeria ought to know these things. Not everything should be politicised.

Please wait until after your one year of service. Then, you can join el-Rufai or Peter Obi’s campaigns or their parties. But if you cannot wait for one year, resign now and join them”, Reno Omokri stated.

On December 23, 2024, we had reported that there are uncertainties over the economic situation that await Nigerians and other residents in the West Africa country in 2025 after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented the sum of ₦49.7 trillion 2025 Budget Appropriation Bill before the Joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives of the National Assembly, with a revenue target of ₦34.82 trillion, hikes the dollar to naira exchange rate by 100 percent, from ₦750 in 2024 to pegging amount of ₦1,500 in 2025.

It would be recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his first budget presentation as Nigeria President on November 29, 2023, pegged ₦750 to one dollar as exchange rate for 2024.

The President pegged the dollar rate at ₦750 when the foreign currency was fluctuating between ₦856 and ₦900 as at last quarter of 2023.

The ₦750 dollar rate pegging for 2024 by the President saw the foreign currency currently exchanging between ₦1,656 and ₦1,700, representing more than 100% negative increasement in the last quarter of 2024 when compared to the dollar rate as at December, 2023.

With the President pegging 2025 dollar rate at ₦1,500, there are possibilities that the dollar may trade between ₦2,856 and ₦3,000 before the end of the last quarter of 2025, inline with the previous years’ economic and exchange rate behavioural patterns and realities in the country.

This shows there maybe more harder and tougher times in 2025 for larger numbers of residents, both the middle class and the poor in the country as the Federal Government showed more wider vision and quest for more revenue in the year ahead.

The 2025 budget shows that more than 30% of the 49.7 trillion naira will be used to service existing loans with the government planning to borrow more new loans in 2025;  sequel to the Budget deficit of more than 13 trillion naira.

According to local media, the passage of the 2025 Appropriation Bill for second reading within 24 hours by the lawmakers marks an important milestone in the budgeting process. The bill will undergo further scrutiny and debate before its final passage. As the Senate resumes its plenary session in January, lawmakers are expected to delve deeper into the budget and make necessary adjustments so that it aligns with the country’s development priorities.

Details of the 2025 Budget Presentation as reported by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga reads in full below:

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Wednesday in Abuja assured Nigerians of better days ahead as economic reforms begin to yield positive results, with noticeable signals in improved security, education, health care, and a globally acknowledged 3.4 per cent GDP growth in third quarter of 2024.

President Tinubu gave the assurance at the National Assembly during presentation of the ₦49.7 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill to the joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives, attributing the successes recorded so far in economic reforms to the patience, resilience and tolerance of Nigerian in supporting the process.

The President projected an expenditure bill of ₦49.7trillion, which is 35 per cent higher than the ₦28 trillion budget of 2024, with priority on education, healthcare and security.

President Tinubu said the 2025 budget will focus on restoration, securing peace and rebuilding prosperity, which reflects the core vision of the Renewed Hope Agenda of improving the livelihood of Nigerians through the strengthening of social and physical infrastructure, and ensuring inclusivity in reaching development goals.

“The 2025 Budget Proposal again reinforces our administration’s roadmap to secure peace, prosperity, and hope for a greater future for our beloved nation. This budget christened, “Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity,” strikes at the very core of our Renewed Hope Agenda and demonstrates our commitment to stabilizing the economy, improving lives, and repositioning our country for greater performance.

“The journey of economic renewal and institutional development, which we began 18 months ago as a nation, is very much underway. It is not a journey of our choosing but one we had to embark on for Nigeria to have a real chance at greatness. I thank every Nigerian for embarking on this journey of ReFORMS and TrANSFORMATION with us.

“The road of reforms is now clearly upon us, and as the President of this blessed nation, I know this less-travelled road has not been easy. That there have been difficulties and sacrifices. They will not be in vain. And we must keep faith with the process to arrive at our collectively desired destination,’’ the President said.

President Tinubu noted that the 2025 budget will focus on restoration and seek to consolidate on the key policies instituted to restructure the economy to boost human capital development, increase the volume of trade and investments, bolster oil and gas production, and get the manufacturing sector humming again and ultimately increase the competitiveness of our economy.

He said the ongoing economic reforms would not be reversed; rather it will be strengthened to build on the gains of stimulating the economy to be more robust, equitable, predictable and globally competitive.

“We do not intend to depart from this critical path to strengthen the Nigerian economy. Just as I believe in the resilience of our economy to withstand the current challenges, I also strongly believe in the resilience of the Nigerian people. Again, I summon the unstoppable Nigerian spirit to lead us on as we work to rebuild the fabric of our economy and existence.

“The improvements we witnessed in the 2024 budget have led us into the 2025 budget. The goals of advancing national security, creating economic opportunities, investing in our youthful population, infrastructure development, and national re-orientation form the core of the 2025 budget. But more than that, this will lay a solid foundation for Nigeria’s future growth trajectory,’’ President Tinubu stated.

The President told the lawmakers that the Nigerian economy was gradually rebounding.

“I report today that our economy is responding positively to stimulus. Our objective is to further stimulate the economy through the implementation of targeted fiscal stimulus packages through public expenditures and specific non-inflationary spending.

“The reforms we have instituted are beginning to yield results. Nigerians will soon experience a better and more functional economy.
Global economic growth for the outgoing year 2024 was projected at 3.2 percent, and against predictions, our country made significant progress.

“Our economy grew by 3.46 percent in the third quarter of 2024, up from 2.54 per cent in the third quarter of 2023. Our Foreign Reserves now stand at nearly 42 billion US dollars, providing a robust buffer against external shocks.

“Our rising exports are reflected in the current trade surplus, which now stands at 5.8 trillion naira, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. These clear results of gradual recovery, among others, reflect the resilience of our economy and the impact of deliberate policy choices we made from the outset,’’ he added.

On the performance of the 2024 budget, President Tinubu said remarkable milestones were achieved, with 14.55 trillion naira in revenue, meeting 75 per cent of target as of the third quarter, while 21.60 trillion naira was recorded in expenditure, representing 85 percent of target in the third quarter.

The President noted that outlook on 2025 was more positive for Nigerians.

“The 2025 Budget seeks to: Restore macroeconomic stability. Enhance the business environment. Foster inclusive growth, employment, and poverty reduction. Promote equitable income distribution and human capital development. Our budgetary allocations reflect the administration’s strategic priorities, especially in the implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda and its developmental objectives.

“In 2025, we are targeting 34.82 trillion naira in revenue to fund the budget. Government expenditure in the same year is projected to be 49.7 trillion naira, including 15.81 trillion naira for debt servicing. A total of 13.08 trillion naira, or 3.89 percent of GDP, will make up the budget deficit.

“This is an ambitious but necessary budget to secure our future,’’ the President added.

President Tinubu said the government would target inflation and bring it to 15 per cent, improve foreign exchange from approximately 1,700 naira per US dollar to 1,500 naira, and a base crude oil production assumption of 2.06 million barrels per day (mbpd).

Other projections for 2025, the President explained will include reduced importation of petroleum products alongside increased export of finished petroleum products, bumper harvests, driven by enhanced security, reducing reliance on food imports, increased foreign exchange inflows through Foreign Portfolio Investments, higher crude oil output and exports, coupled with a substantial reduction in upstream oil and gas production costs.

“The Budget projects inflation will decline from the current rate of 34.6 percent to 15 percent next year, while the exchange rate will improve from approximately 1,700 naira per US dollar to 1,500 naira, and a base crude oil production assumption of 2.06 million barrels per day (mbpd),’’ he said.

President Tinubu said the priority areas for the 2025 Budget allocations are; Defence and Security, ₦4.91 trillion; Infrastructure: ₦4.06 trillion; Health: ₦2.48 trillion and Education: ₦3.52 trillion.

“Our administration has so far disbursed 34 billion naira to over 300,000 students via the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). In the 2025 Budget, we have made provision for 826.90 billion naira for infrastructure development in the educational sector. This provision also includes those for the Universal Basic Education (UBEC) and the nine new higher educational institutions,’’ he noted.

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, thanked the President for his bold and courageous effort in rebuilding the Nigerian economy, assuring that the lawmakers will remain selfless, and patriotic in supporting the reforms, particularly at the grassroots.

Describing President Tinubu as a “national treasure’’, Senator Akpabio commended the President for improvement in security, international recognition and treatment of Nigerians with more dignity, facilitating student loans, reduced debt servicing, social security for the less privileged and signing of the minimum wage bill with promptness.

He said those critical of the proposed tax reforms should create more time to study the details of the bill before the National Assembly.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Right Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, said the tax reform will ensure equitable, efficient collection and utilisation of revenue and ensure more consideration for the underprivileged and vulnerable Nigerians.
He said the lawmakers would continue to support the President to realize his dream for the country”.