Millions of Nigerians Still Trapped in Poverty Despite Hard Work — Makinde

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has expressed concern over the number of Nigerians who remain trapped in poverty despite working hard to improve their living conditions.

Makinde said the challenges facing the country go beyond the individuals occupying public offices, stressing the need to address the systems and structures that continue to produce poor outcomes for many Nigerians.

The governor stated this in his latest newsletter, where he also highlighted the persistent challenge of insecurity and concerns over institutions established to support citizens.

According to him, Nigeria has witnessed changes in government, the introduction of new policies and repeated promises of a fresh start, yet millions of citizens continue to experience little meaningful improvement in their lives.

“Too many of our people are still stuck in poverty. Many families put in a lot of effort but still don’t see real improvements in their lives,” Makinde said.

He also expressed concern about the difficulties confronting young Nigerians, particularly the lack of clear pathways from education to better economic opportunities.

“Too many young people in Nigeria can’t see a clear way to go from school to better chances in life,” he added.

Makinde further noted that insecurity continues to affect Nigerians, while some organisations established to assist citizens are not functioning effectively.

“This shows that Nigeria’s problem is larger than just the people holding government positions at any given moment,” the governor said.

He argued that sustainable progress would require a closer examination of the systems, rules and institutional arrangements responsible for producing outcomes that leave many Nigerians struggling.

“We need to look at the systems, rules, and ways things are set up that keep on creating results that don’t help most of our people,” Makinde said.