A worrying trend of executive overreach, legislative dilution, and judicial sangfroid is undermining Nigeria’s democratic governance, according to BudgIT and OrderPaper.
The two organizations have expressed deep concern over the weakening of the country’s separation of powers, which has led to poor crisis management, governance lapses, and economic instability.
Nigeria’s parliament has struggled to assert its independence from the executive, hindering its ability to exercise robust oversight and hold it accountable.
This weak governance structure has contributed to the country’s worsening economic instability, with GDP per capita declining by nearly 50% and inflation reaching 31.7% in 2024.
The executive’s persistent disregard for court rulings and refusal to comply with legislative summons have further highlighted the erosion of checks and balances.
The National Assembly, instead of serving as a check on executive excesses, has contributed to poor financial indiscipline through budget insertions, with a staggering N2.24 trillion added to the 2024 budget alone.
The consequences of a weakened separation of powers extend beyond political maneuvering to real-life governance failures. Over the past decade, more than 11 million Nigerians have been internally displaced—8.7 million due to disasters and 3.3 million due to violence—underscoring the severe human impact of weak institutions.
BudgIT and OrderPaper are launching a full-scale advocacy campaign for full financial autonomy for the judiciary and local governments, stronger legislative accountability, and stricter enforcement of constitutional checks and balances.
The campaign includes a Policy Brief titled, “Nigeria’s Lost Decade: Effects and Remedies of the Weakening Separation of Powers (2014–2024),” which provides data-driven insights and actionable recommendations for reform.
The organizations are calling on policymakers, civil society organizations, the media, and citizens to support this campaign and demand a transparent, accountable, and constitutionally balanced government.
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