Politics too expensive in Nigeria than other parts of the World — Lai Mohammed

Former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has lamented the high cost of contesting political offices in Nigeria, stressing that urgent steps must be taken to address the situation.

The former minister made this known at the weekend, while speaking at the London School of Economics and Political Science during his ongoing engagements on developments under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari and his new book, titled: “Headlines and Soundbites, Media Moments That Defined An Administration.”

Mohammed, who had earlier visited Abbey College Cambridge and the University of Cambridge, spoke in response to a question from a participant who observed that Nigerian politics is too expensive and excludes young people.

The former, in his reaction, acknowledged the concern, noting that politics in Nigeria is costlier than in many other parts of the world and, therefore, a factor that needed to be addressed.

“The field of politics in Nigeria is open for young and ambitious people. However, politics in Nigeria is very expensive than other parts of the world. That is also a factor we must work at,” he said.

Mohammed, who noting that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) released its timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 General Elections, detailed the financial requirements for aspirants seeking various elective offices, highlighting the burden placed on them.

“Two days ago, the ruling party released its timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 General Elections.

“If you want to become president, you will pay N70m for nomination form and N30m for expression of interest form. That is N100m which is £50,000. If you want to be a governor, the nomination form is N40m while expression of interest is N10m. That is about £25,000. If you want to be a senator, the nomination form is N17m while expression of interest is N3m. That is about £10,000,” he said.

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According to him, the high cost of contesting elections is linked to how political parties generate funds in Nigeria “because unlike in the UK or elsewhere, people don’t pay their membership dues and we have no mechanism to ensure that they pay.”

“So, it is a bit expensive even to enter into the race and that is one area we need to work at. Yes, it is the only way the party makes money and develop the party because unlike in the UK or elsewhere, people don’t pay their membership dues and we have no mechanism to ensure that they pay. So, we wait for them. When it is time for elections, they come and buy form and then we make a lot of money to run the party,” the former minister said.

Despite the financial challenges, Mohammed maintained that young Nigerians are still making significant strides in politics, noting that there were many young people with no political antecedents but were today doing very well in Nigerian politics and government.

“But really, I think there is a level playing field if you know the rules and I said there are many young people who have no political antecedents who are today doing very well in Nigerian politics and government, he said.

Speaking further, Mohammed outlined his priorities during his tenure as minister, emphasising effective communication and public engagement.

“My main priorities as Minister of Information and Culture was to devise imaginative and innovative strategies to convey to Nigerians the programmes and the policies of the government. 

“But more importantly also, to get a feedback from them. I realised that until you get a feedback from the people, you are not going to really address their real issues. So as much as speaking is good, you must also listen and when you listen, you get the sentiments of the people,” the former minister stated.

He explained that he adopted several approaches, including Town Hall meetings and ministerial scorecards, to bridge the communication gap between government and citizens.

According to him, his form of Town Hall parleys was to look at themes such as infrastructure, security, agriculture, food security and then invite ministers in charge of these ministries for a no-holds barred interaction with selected people from the public, adding that scorecard series was also “used to allow ministers at the tailend of our tenure to give an account of their stewardship.”

Mohammed commended the institution for its global reputation in shaping thought leadership at the intersection of economics, politics and public policy.

“In today’s fast-moving information-driven world, governments must recognise that policies alone are not enough. They must be clearly explained, consistently articulated and meaningfully engaged with the people.

Effective governance requires a balance between reality and perception.

“As leaders, policymakers and communicators, you must understand that governance today is as much about managing reality as it is about managing perception. When both are aligned, trust is built, legitimacy is strengthened and nations move forward with clarity and confidence,” Mohammed stated.