As campaigning for Nigeria’s 2027 general election formally begins, the leading presidential candidates have set out sharply different plans for the economy, security, education, healthcare, governance and the country’s political structure.
President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) are building their campaigns around distinct economic and governance programmes.
Smaller-party candidates, including Omoyele Sowore, Donald Duke and Adewole Adebayo, are also pushing alternative policy ideas.
Tinubu Bets On Continuity And A $1 Trillion Economy
President Tinubu is campaigning on the Renewed Hope Agenda, first presented in 2023, alongside the newer Renewed Hope National Development Plan covering 2026 to 2030.
He has positioned first-term policy changes — particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy, exchange-rate adjustments and steps to boost government revenue — as the foundation of his bid for a second term, arguing the changes, though difficult in the short term, were necessary to fix long-standing distortions in the economy.
Government officials describe 2026 as a turning-point year, with focus shifting from stabilisation to faster growth, reflected in the 2026 national budget of about ₦58.18 trillion.
The administration has also set a target of a $1 trillion economy by 2030, built on manufacturing, infrastructure and diversification away from crude oil, citing projects such as the Kano-Maradi railway as evidence of progress.
APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda said the party would campaign on its record.
President’s Special Adviser Tooki Abimbola said: “The APC will campaign on results, not rhetoric. The next phase is about moving from reform to delivery, from macroeconomic stabilisation to household-level impact, and from security operations to sustainable security.”
Some government claims have faced scrutiny; independent reviews of a presidential loan and grant scheme said to have reached more than 900,000 small businesses have questioned the figures against available disbursement records.
Atiku Pitches Production, Security And Restructuring
Atiku, who emerged as the ADC’s candidate from its 2026 primaries, is running on a programme built from his acceptance speech, ADC policy positions, and the Atiku Economic Recovery Plan (AERP) 2027, launched in August 2026.
His plan promises expanded and better-equipped armed forces and police, free and compulsory basic education, and increased funding for primary healthcare and specialist hospitals alongside more private investment in medical facilities.
A central AERP proposal is a production subsidy giving qualifying refineries access to domestic crude at preferential prices, tied to conditions on output, efficiency and transparency, alongside a fixed annual budget spending ceiling and independent audits.
Atiku has also called for a public reconciliation of an estimated ₦30 trillion in Federation Account entries linked to energy and past subsidy claims, and has made restructuring and greater devolution of power central to his political message.
According to another online media, the Daily Sun, the ADC leadership had not responded to its inquiries as of the time of filing its report.
Obi Campaigns On Shifting Nigeria From Consumption To Production
Peter Obi is campaigning on the message that “Nigeria can work, and Nigeria must work,” with a shift from consumption to production as the central plank of his economic plan.
His proposals include securing farming communities, expanding irrigation, improving rural roads and storage, and connecting farmers to finance, alongside stronger manufacturing and agro-processing to grow exports.
On security, he has promised better intelligence gathering, technology-supported policing, stronger border management and support for lawful community-based early-warning systems.
NDC National Publicity Secretary Osa Director said: “Our primary priority is to move Nigeria from a consumption economy to a production economy.”
He said the party intends to revive dormant industries, stabilise the naira and treat reduced insecurity as a precondition for attracting investment.
Smaller Candidates Push Alternative Agendas
Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC) is campaigning on what he calls revolutionary change, including artificial intelligence in public finance management and drone technology for security operations, alongside free education at all levels.
Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) is focused on education, healthcare, infrastructure, security and justice-system changes, and has called on opposition parties to form a coalition against the APC.
Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has set out a five-point agenda targeting insecurity, unemployment, low productivity, weak power supply and weak institutions, with a target of 75,000 megawatts of electricity.
With polls set for January 2027, the candidates’ competing programmes are expected to shape an increasingly intense campaign season, as each seeks to convince voters that their approach offers the most credible path out of Nigeria’s economic, security and governance challenges.
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Mr Peter Obi I dey your back, he is knowledgeable and well grounded for the tasking work of presidency. Onward!! We move!!