Healthcare infrastructure is particularly neglected. Despite pledges under the Abuja Declaration to allocate at least 15 per cent of public expenditure to health, Nigeria’s budget falls far short. Primary healthcare centres remain underfunded, dilapidated, and understaffed, while fewer than 35,000 doctors serve a population of over 200 million. Educational facilities suffer similar neglect, leaving countless children without safe classrooms or access to quality learning.
The toll of insecurity
Security challenges magnify these pressures. Terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and communal violence touch millions of Nigerians yearly. Entire communities are displaced, businesses looted, and farmers prevented from tending fields. In regions across the north-central and northwestern states, thousands are killed or kidnapped each year, eroding public confidence and amplifying mental stress.
In the context of fragile rule of law and overburdened security agencies, ordinary citizens bear the daily anxiety of survival in addition to economic worries, creating a pervasive culture of fear and uncertainty.
Faith, focus, and forward motion
Faith offers a crucial dimension of relief. It does not deny adversity but acknowledges challenge without granting fear the throne of the heart. Worry assumes responsibility for outcomes beyond human control, whereas faith focuses on what is actionable.
Nigerians across generations have survived far harsher circumstances with less anxiety because they understood what they could carry and what they must release. Faith, hope, and collective resilience were practical forces, not sentimental comforts.
Transforming worry into growth
Navigating worry requires intentional strategies. Naming challenges clearly, such as inflation, unemployment, or healthcare costs, reduces the weight of vague fear. Directing attention toward actionable steps, developing new skills, joining cooperative networks, and pursuing micro-enterprise replaces rumination with progress. Releasing what cannot be controlled preserves energy for what truly matters.
Mindful rest, journaling, meditation, and limited news exposure help reset perspective. Surrounding oneself with supportive individuals and celebrating small victories reinforces resilience and weakens the grip of chronic worry. Breaking large problems into manageable steps, experimenting with innovation, and building community support converts anxiety into structured, purposeful action.
Despite pervasive hardship, Nigeria’s story is not one of despair. The country remains Africa’s most populous nation and a centre of youth, innovation, and enterprise. Macro-economic indicators suggest modest growth, largely driven by non-oil sectors such as services and agriculture.
Strategic reforms, targeted investment, and community-based initiatives offer pathways for economic inclusion and improved wellbeing. Nigerians are already transforming constraints into opportunities through micro-enterprises, technological innovation, and creative industries.
Peace amidst uncertainty
Peace is not the absence of problems. It is the discipline of refusing to let problems rule the soul. What occupies the centre of our hearts shapes our lives. What we refuse to worship is often what finally sets us free. As 2026 unfolds, let it be a year where worry no longer governs. Let hope, courage, deliberate action, and resilience lead the way. Life is seldom perfect, but minds and hearts that refuse to bow to fear can create joy, purpose, and peace, even amidst uncertainty. God is with us!
Prof. Uba is a Nigerian economist, policy expert, and governance consultant with over 25 years of experience working with the Nigerian government and international organisations.
