Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as mayor of New York City on January 1, 2026, becoming the first openly democratic socialist—and the city’s first Muslim and Asian American mayor—to lead America’s largest city. This historic milestone marks a profound shift in urban politics, with major outlets such as The New York Times and The Guardian portraying him as a symbol of “21st-century America”.

His ambitious platform, including fare-free buses, rent freezes on stabilised units, expanded public housing, universal childcare and city-owned grocery stores, has ignited fierce debate in a bastion of capitalism.

Beneath the rhetoric, however, the core discussion centres on addressing deep-seated inequality, effective governance and practical feasibility in a city of immense wealth and complexity.

Supporters—Mamdanistas—see New York’s current system as fundamentally flawed: housing markets that exclude the working class, transit fares that regressively tax the poor, and inequality entrenched as the norm. They contend that Mamdani’s policies stem from a principled democratic socialist framework, rejecting charity in favour of structural change.

Cities falter not from bold ambition, they argue, but from passively accepting poverty as permanent—“for ye have the poor always with you”. Mamdani and his allies defy this fatalism, asserting that a city as prosperous as New York has no excuse for such disparities.

Critics counter with sobering realities. Unlike a nation-state, New York cannot print money, stem capital outflows entirely, or seamlessly execute massive programmes amid bureaucratic hurdles. Broad universal programmes could siphon resources from critical infrastructure maintenance and service improvements. Economists like Thomas Sowell have long highlighted how rent controls, without aggressive supply growth, can exacerbate shortages and disproportionately hurt low-income renters.

While Mamdani’s intentions are widely regarded as genuine, sceptics emphasise that passion and moral clarity do not substitute for administrative prowess. Central to concerns is his commitment to hiking taxes on corporations and high earners, potentially triggering capital flight or an exodus among affluent residents, thereby eroding the tax base needed for public services.

Defenders argue this risk is overstated, citing New York’s unparalleled “stickiness”—its economic dynamism, cultural magnetism and dense networks. Evidence from past moderate tax increases shows minimal out-migration.

The true peril, they maintain, is clinging to a status quo that already displaces essential workers, widens gaps and stifles long-term vitality. Ultimate success depends on delivering visible wins: safer streets, reliable transit and abundant housing—reinforcing rather than fraying the city’s social fabric.

As Mamdani’s policies begin to take shape in these early days of 2026, the debate will shift from theory to real-world outcomes. He presents no utopian blueprint; instead, he insists that extreme inequality need not be inevitable in a city with New York’s resources, and that sustainable redistribution demands tangible, everyday benefits for residents. His moral framework is persuasive, yet uncertainties remain about manoeuvring fiscal constraints, institutional inertia and partisan gridlock.

The global buzz around Mamdani, especially among youth, prompts timely comparisons to cities like Lagos, Nigeria’s economic powerhouse. Lagos mirrors New York in many woes: prohibitive housing, exorbitant transport costs hitting the poor hardest, and inequality woven into the urban fabric.

Generating around 60 per cent of Nigeria’s economic output, Lagos boasts gleaming high-rises for the elite alongside vast informal settlements where millions subsist on less than $2 daily, often without reliable sanitation, electricity, water or infrastructure—homes perched precariously over lagoons or drains.

It is understandable why some Lagosians might be drawn to Mamdani-inspired reforms, offering hope amid hardship but also substantial risks.

Local Mamdanistas would champion initiatives like fare-free public transport to slash commuting costs—a lifeline for low-wage workers—or rent subsidies paired with aggressive public housing drives and developer incentives to expand affordable stock.

Contra-Mamdanistas, however, would underscore daunting implementation challenges: securing consistent funding, enforcing regulations and maintaining services in a context of limited resources. Even with Lagos State’s relatively strong performance compared to much of Nigeria, there is little evidence it could currently scale the expansive vision outlined in Mamdani’s approach without significant reforms.

Across both metropolises, state capacity proves decisive. Socialist policies rely on efficient execution, minimal corruption and robust accountability, yet both face fragmented governance, procurement delays and interference.

Ideology inspires, but outcomes hinge on the prosaic pillars: political resolve, bureaucratic skill and prudent prioritisation. Mamdani has sparked an essential dialogue on the equitable cities we aspire to build, but enduring progress requires boldly addressing these foundational, often unglamorous, realities.

Okigbo III is the Founding Partner at Nextier, a multicompetency advisory and project incubation firm, and writes a Substack blog titled Building That Society.