The federal government has launched a national campaign aimed at promoting responsible citizenship, patriotism and public accountability, as officials seek to strengthen civic values and support ongoing economic and governance reforms.
The initiative, called “My Nigeria, My Responsibility,” was unveiled on Monday at the State House in Abuja by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
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The Office of the Special Assistant leads the campaign to the President on Citizenship and Leadership.
Mr Idris said the campaign was designed to remind citizens that nation-building depended on collective effort. He told the gathering that “patriotism is not a spectator sport or a title we claim only when our nation triumphs. True patriotism is an active verb.”
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The minister said the programme would encourage Nigerians to take ownership of the country’s progress by promoting tax compliance, national values, accurate information sharing and community responsibility.
According to him, “the destiny of Nigeria does not rest in the hands of a select few in Abuja, but in the daily actions, words, and choices of over 200 million citizens.”
The minister linked the campaign to the administration’s broader economic reforms, noting that recent fiscal adjustments were intended to stabilise the economy and increase public revenues for development.
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Nigeria’s fuel subsidy has consumed billions of dollars annually for over a decade, placing significant pressure on public finances and limiting funds for infrastructure and social services.
He said the removal of fuel subsidies and changes to the foreign exchange system were part of efforts to halt what he described as a deteriorating financial situation.
The foreign exchange market has faced recurring volatility in recent years, prompting several adjustments to the exchange rate framework.
“We inherited a system where, in 2022, 96% of our federal revenue was spent solely on debt servicing and the subsidy,” he said. “That pathway was national suicide.” Mr Idris added that monthly allocations to states and local governments had increased since the reforms began, describing the financial pressure citizens are facing as “the pain of healing, not of decay.”
The minister also highlighted the government’s tax reform drive, which aims to widen the tax base and reduce evasion.
He said early signs showed improved revenue performance, pointing to higher collections in 2024. According to him, “Q1 2024 saw a 73% year-on-year increase in Company Income Tax (CIT) and a 44% increase in Value-Added Tax (VAT) collections, not from new taxes, but from bringing more people into the net and blocking leaks.”
The minister said that funds generated from the reforms were being channelled into infrastructure, agriculture, transportation, and security. He cited the Lagos–Calabar coastal highway and ongoing rail and port projects as examples of investments aimed at supporting long-term growth and job creation.
Nigeria faces a large infrastructure gap, and transport and energy projects have been a recurring focus of government development plans for more than a decade.
The campaign also includes a media literacy component designed to address misinformation and enhance the public’s ability to verify information.
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Mr Idris said the government would launch a National Media and Information Literacy Institute next February to support this part of the agenda.
Nigeria has grappled with widespread misinformation during elections, conflict reporting and major policy changes, raising concerns about the reliability of online information.
He urged Nigerians to participate actively in the campaign, emphasising that civic duty included tax compliance, responsible use of digital platforms and adherence to national values such as integrity and diligence. “Patriotism is in the taxes you pay,” he said, describing taxation as a “concrete transaction of trust between a citizen and the state.”
Mr Idris called for a renewed sense of shared responsibility across the country. “Let us reignite our patriotism in action,” he said. “Let us leave here and fulfil our part of the covenant: My Nigeria, My Responsibility.”
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