The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), has called on the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration to ensure that the gains of self-rule are felt through programmes and policies that lift citizens out of poverty, hunger, and insecurity.
CAPPA stated this in a statement by its Media and Communication Officer, Robert Egbe, to commemorate Nigeria’s 65 years of nationhood.
The organisation said the celebration of Independence Day (October 1), should go beyond parades and speeches, stressing that it must serve as a moment of sober reflection on how far the country has come, the challenges that persist, and the actions required to ensure that every Nigerian enjoys the true promise of freedom.
It argued that independence should not be defined by political sovereignty alone but by social and economic well-being for all citizens. While acknowledging that the Tinubu government has introduced reforms in the past year, which have been applauded locally and internationally, CAPPA maintained that such recovery programmes must be judged not only by their beauty on paper but also by their impact on households across the country.
The group observed that whatever gains have been recorded are being overshadowed by hardship, pointing to high costs of food supplies, soaring rents and electricity tariffs, and healthcare that remains out of reach for many families.
Quoting CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, the statement noted that Nigeria’s independence was built on the hope that freedom would guarantee dignity and empower citizens as masters of their own destiny.
“Sixty-five years after the Union Jack was lowered, Nigeria cannot afford reforms that stabilise the books while destabilising households,” Oluwafemi said.
He noted that although Nigerians have often been told the economy is on the path of transformation, the gap between official claims and daily reality remains wide. He argued that the poor cannot spend “economic recovery” in the market, stressing that the true test of policy is whether it improves life for people at the grassroots.
According to him, the promise of independence would only be fulfilled when citizens can afford decent meals, live in safe housing within their means, access quality health care and public water services, and send their children to school without fear of exorbitant fees. He urged the government to focus on closing existing gaps through people-centred policies.
The organisation identified several priority areas for action, including food security. With food inflation still high, many households are struggling to eat three meals a day. CAPPA urged the government to invest in local food production by supporting farmers with inputs, storage, and access to markets. Nigeria has fertile land and abundant labour, it said, but farmers are held back by a lack of infrastructure and the spread of insecurity in food-producing regions. Strengthening agriculture, CAPPA argued, would cut import dependence, lower prices, and make affordable, healthy food more available to Nigerians.
The group, however, stressed that food security is not just about availability but also about quality and health. It pointed out that while hunger is rising, ultra-processed and sugary products are flooding the market, fuelling obesity, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases. CAPPA noted that without deliberate policies, Nigerians risk being trapped in a cycle where cheap but unhealthy foods dominate diets. It therefore renewed its call for stronger healthy food policies, including an increase in the current sugar-sweetened beverage tax, clear front-of-pack warning labelling for food products, and salt reduction targets, to ensure that citizens not only eat but eat well.
On the economy, CAPPA warned against piling up debts through excessive borrowing, saying that loans used to service recurrent
