Convener of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group, Bamidele Atoyebi, has asserted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is implementing far-reaching reforms and welfare programmes, but that weak public awareness and poor grassroots communication are limiting their impact across the country.

Atoyebi, in a detailed assessment of current federal initiatives, said the administration has “set the motors of development at high speed,” but regretted that many citizens are yet to fully understand or access the benefits of policies already in place. He stressed that the challenge is not only implementation, but also communication and local engagement.

At the center of his argument is the ongoing decentralisation policy, particularly local government financial autonomy, which he described as a major structural shift in Nigeria’s governance system. According to him, funds are now flowing more directly to local governments, placing responsibility for basic development such as roads, electricity, and community infrastructure at the grassroots level.

However, he noted that many communities still direct their grievances solely to the federal government, even when local authorities are responsible for execution. Citing communities such as Rigasa, he said citizens often blame Abuja for failing infrastructure despite local governments receiving allocations meant to address such needs.

He also referenced field observations in parts of Cross River State, where farmers reportedly struggle with poor rural roads. Atoyebi said the situation reflects what he described as a “missing ingredient” in Nigeria’s democracy—self-advocacy at the ward and local government level.

“The problems in Nigeria are best solved at the ward level,” he stated, adding that citizens must engage their local councils directly rather than relying on distant political structures. He argued that development would be faster if communities consistently demanded accountability from local authorities.

Atoyebi further highlighted federal intervention programmes in education and skills development, particularly the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative.

He claimed that while previous empowerment schemes such as YouWin reached about 5,000 beneficiaries, NELFUND has already impacted over 2 million students in tertiary institutions.

However, he noted that many eligible students remain unaware of the programme, which he described as a gap in implementation rather than policy design.

On TVET, he said beneficiaries receive monthly stipends of ₦25,500 for students and ₦45,000 for trainers. Despite this, he acknowledged challenges including delayed payments, sometimes stretching up to six months, technical glitches, and logistical difficulties linked to training center locations and transportation costs.

Atoyebi also pointed to broader federal welfare measures, including ₦10 million loans for academic and non-academic staff and agreements with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), describing them as some of the most extensive post-independence interventions in the education sector.

He, however, maintained that the effectiveness of these policies is being undermined by poor dissemination of information. According to him, “a policy that remains a secret is a policy that does not exist to the common man.”

To address this, Atoyebi proposed a structured grassroots information network, suggesting that beneficiaries of federal programmes such as NELFUND and TVET be engaged as “policy promoters” across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas and 8,809 wards. He proposed that selected students be supported with monthly stipends to strengthen outreach and awareness at community level.

He argued that such a model would counter what he described as opposition forces capturing youth attention online with minimal incentives, and would help strengthen public understanding of government programmes.

Atoyebi also commended President Tinubu’s leadership style, describing it as community-driven and rooted in his experience in Lagos State governance and grassroots political structure. He said ongoing reforms, including local government autonomy and geopolitical advisory appointments, demonstrate a deliberate focus on decentralisation.

He concluded that while the administration has built “the engine and cleared the path,” Nigeria’s development depends on expanding aggressive public communication of policies.

“Nigeria does not just need policies; it needs messengers,” he said, insisting that only sustained grassroots engagement can ensure citizens fully benefit from government interventions.

Honourable Bamidele Atoyebi, the convener of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group, also serves as the national coordinator of Accountability and Policy Monitoring PR and a publisher of Unfiltered and Mining reports.