Market News

By Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Mohammed Idris is Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation. A media executive and public communicator, he is the founder of Blueprint Newspaper.

When international media looks at Nigeria, the headlines often highlight our challenges—security concerns, economic pressures, or political tensions. But what’s missing from that narrative is the quiet, crucial transformation Nigeria has sustained for over two decades: democratic stability.

This year marks 26 years of uninterrupted civilian rule in Nigeria. For a country that once cycled through coups and military regimes, this is not a minor milestone, it is the foundation upon which our economic future is being built.

Political stability isn’t just a governance metric; it’s a business asset. In Nigeria, democratic continuity is unlocking bold reforms that were politically impossible under previous regimes. From the removal of long-standing petrol subsidies to the unification of foreign exchange markets, the country is taking difficult but necessary steps to restore macroeconomic confidence.

These decisions are not without cost. But they are signals of serious intent: that Nigeria is ready to play by market rules, attract global investment, and provide policy clarity to businesses betting on Africa’s future.

As Minister of Information, I see firsthand how these reforms are being communicated, challenged, and reshaped in real time—not just in parliament halls or press briefings, but online, on the streets, and in the culture itself.

Nigeria’s youth—more than 70% of our population is under 30—are not spectators. They are critics, creators, and catalysts. They are using digital platforms to demand transparency, organize civic action, and scale startups that are changing how we move, bank, and work. In that sense, democracy here is more than just a political system—it is an engine of innovation.

Nowhere is this more visible than in Nigeria’s booming cultural economy. Afrobeats and Nollywood are global exports, but they’re also civic expressions—pushing conversations around identity, equity, and justice. What began as entertainment has become a form of democratic storytelling, with global reach and real economic impact.

But for democracy to work, it must deliver. That’s the challenge we face now; not just to preserve freedoms, but to translate them into functioning schools, reliable infrastructure, fair courts, and jobs that offer dignity. This is the next chapter of Nigeria’s democratic project: going beyond surviving, into thriving and tranforming.

We understand the skepticism some investors might have. But we also invite them to look beyond the risks and see the fundamentals: a resilient democracy, an ambitious reform agenda, a cultural renaissance, and a massive, entrepreneurial population eager to build something lasting.

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Nigeria is not perfect. No country is. But we are persistent. And in a region grappling with democratic reversals, that persistence counts—for markets, for investors, and for the millions of citizens who continue to bet on democracy.

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Mohammed Idris is Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation. A media executive and public communicator.