President Bola Tinubu has announced free transportation across Nigeria during the Christmas and New Year holidays, Of course this is an half-hearted bandage on the gaping wound of economic hardship. The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, delivered the news after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday, which Tinubu chaired.
Starting December 20 and lasting until January 5, 2025, Nigerians can enjoy free train rides nationwide. The Federal Government also decided to rename the University of Abuja as Yakubu Gowon University. While it’s unclear how this will impact education standards or address the sector’s glaring issues.
Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, also addressed the media, saying the council had extensively discussed the 2025 budget. He expressed optimism that the budget would encourage private sector participation, a recurring promise in government rhetoric that many Nigerians are tired of hearing without tangible results.
Idris also confirmed that the December 18 meeting would be FEC’s last for the year, with a recess planned until January 6, 2025. For many Nigerians struggling to make ends meet, the symbolism of government officials retreating for the holidays might be hard to swallow, even as they claim to provide “relief” through initiatives like free transportation.
