The Nigerian government is on a mission to cut the cost of governance and restore the glory of Nigeria’s economy by all means possible. On this, all levels of government have championed actionable plans to achieve their goal of economic stability. This, so far, has spearheaded the banning of five things in a state or across the country.
- Non-Biodegradable Styrofoam
In the early months of this year, the Lagos State government banned non-biodegradable styrofoam in the Nigerian market. The product, otherwise known as takeaway, is said to be unfriendly to the ecosystem, hence the ban.
- Sachet Alcohol
One of the most consumed items in the Nigerian market is dry gin and other alcohol. The consumers who happen to be drivers risk the lives of not just themselves by the health implications but also causing mayhem on the road for other road users. The Nigerian health agency, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control, which imposed the ban, exposed to the public the content of the product—30% of alcohol and 4–8% of beer.
- Exportation of Cooking Gas
President Tinubu banned the exportation of liquefied petroleum gas, otherwise known as cooking gas, on February 22, 2024. As a result of the ban placed on this, the price rose from N900 per kilogramme to N1,350 per kilogramme from the time till present.
- Online Crypto Market and the Activities of the BDC Operators
The naira has seen its lowest lows in this administration. The fall of the naira against the dollar and the hyper-inflation in Nigeria, according to the government, are a result of the presence of digital cryptocurrency platforms like Binance, OctaFX, Crypto, and so on. The Tinubu-led administration apportioned the blame on the activities of these domestic and foreign cryptocurrency markets. On February 29, 2024, the economic activities of Binance, the top digital cryptocurrency platform, were banned in the country on the basis of illegality. This was followed by a stoppage of the activities of Bureau de Change operators in strategic states in the country.
- Foreign Trips of Government Officials
Since the inception of this administration, foreign trips sponsored through Nigerian coffers have raised questions in the country from the opposition party and the citizenry. On March 12, the Chief of Staff of the federation issued a presidential directive to ban all foreign trips of government officials, except, of course, under the stated conditions.
By Chidimma NWAFOR
