Nigeria begins campaign for 2027 presidential election

Campaigning for Nigeria’s presidential election officially began on Wednesday, launching a race that will test incumbent President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term against a backdrop of severe economic hardship and persistent insecurity. The January 16, 2027 vote will see Tinubu, who was first elected in 2023, face major challengers former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former state governor Peter Obi, alongside 16 other opposition candidates.

The election is set against a backdrop of deep public discontent. Voter surveys indicate that nearly 80% of Nigerians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, with economic hardship and insecurity cited as the top concerns. Tinubu’s administration has implemented sweeping economic reforms, including the removal of a decades-long fuel subsidy and multiple devaluations of the naira. While these measures have been praised by international investors for restoring economic credibility, they have also triggered a sharp increase in the cost of living, leading many Nigerians to nickname the president “T-Pain.”

According to official data, Nigeria’s national debt swelled more than twelvefold to 159.35 trillion naira by March 2026...