As we commence the business cycle of the year on the journey to a Renewed Hope, it is important to give you a glimpse into some of the policies that might shape the year 2025.
1. THE NATIONAL YOUTH CONFAB
The National Youth CONFAB is expected to kick off in the first quarter of the new year as the administration seeks to strengthen the synergy between its young population and the leadership. The Confab is a testament to the administration’s commitment to youth inclusiveness and investment as nation-builders.
The Ministry of Youth is expected to announce, soon, the modalities for selecting the conference’s representatives from across the country.
2. National Credit Guarantee Company
The Renewed Hope administration is expected to launch the National Credit Guarantee Company before the end of the second quarter of 2025. This company will assist the administration to further consolidate and increase access to credit for individuals and critical sectors of the economy to boost national economic output.
3. Tax Reform Bills Implementation.
The tax reform bills which are currently being debated on the floor of the National Assembly are expected to be passed over the next few months with implementation expected to begin in earnest.
The bills, apart from strengthening Nigeria’s tax collection capacity also aims to fix many basics of the economy which will in turn tackle poverty, inflation, unemployment, poor revenue as well as strengthening the ease-of-doing business rating of the country.
4. Consumer Credit Phase 2
The Consumer Credit Scheme which is a major initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is expected to be taken to a new level as the general public starts to access the benefits embedded in it.
The first phase of the scheme which has already benefited tens of thousands of civil servants will now be extended to the general public as the administration completes to increase access to consumable goods which will help drive industrialization, reduce corruption and improve the standard of living of the populace.
5. Infrastructure Commissioning.
Several Infrastructural projects are expected to be commissioned in 2025. Some of them are:
-Phase one of Lagos-Calabar Highway
-3 bus terminal stations in FCT
-Renewed Hope Cities
-The Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project
-Kaduna Refinery
-52MW Maiduguri Emergency Power Project (MEPP)
-Next phase of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI)
-Kaduna power project (Kudendan power plant)
-375MW Egbema Power Station, Imo State
6. Special Agro Processing Zones/Green Imperative
The Special Agro Processing Zones which is an initiative of the federal government in partnership with African Development Bank seeks to improve food production on a large scale in the country with six states pencilled down for the first phase. Large farming clusters will be setup across the country.
The Green imperative seeks to ensure farmers at the grassroots get access to extension services including mechanized farming, training on the use and maintenance of modern equipments by establishing centres across the 774 Local Governments.
7. Full Implementation of the Local Governments Autonomy
All things being equal, the judgement of the Supreme Court on Local Governments autonomy is expected to be fully implemented in the new year.
This is expected to improve governance at the grassroots as it enables the FG to send allocations directly to the Local Governments without interference from the states as currently obtainable.
8. National Livestock program
Following the introduction of a new Ministry of Livestock by President Tinubu’s administration, a National Livestock Program is billed to commence in the new year as Nigeria seeks to harness the potentials in the livestock sector.
Northern Nigeria is a major player in the development of livestock and with a new operational framework in place, the sector is expected to contribute significantly to the economic growth of Nigeria, eliminate issues of farmers-herders crisis and reduce poverty in the country.
9. Introduction of New National Identification Card
The new AFRIGO card proposed by National Identity Management Commission is expected to go public within the new year.
The card which also offers payment solutions will help in improving the financial inclusion situation of the country, provide access to government services and also restore confidence in the identification system of the country.
10. Renewed Hope Creative Villages
Plans have been finalized to establish creative villages of arts in each state across Nigeria, named “Renewed Hope Creative Villages” with the goal of enhancing the creative industry and preserving historic sites. The initiative would collaborate with state governments to identify historic locations and transform them into creative hubs. This one-stop shop solution will help the government to harness the potentials of the sector to create thousands of jobs, preserve monumental sites across the country and develop a sector that could contribute immensely to economic growth.
