Many key events defined the outgoing year for Nigeria, affecting individuals, groups, and the nation at large.
Looking back, some Nigerians recall 2025 with mixed memories, as the high cost of living persisted, largely due to major economic reforms.
Others, however, noted glimmers of hope, suggesting that the worst of the economic pressures may be easing.
On the domestic front, Nigeria experienced cautious economic recovery, with macroeconomic indicators showing modest improvement.
Industrial developments, most notably the ongoing impact of the Dangote Refinery, reshaped energy markets and fuel supply chains.
At the same time, the global stage remained turbulent, with trade tensions, geopolitical shifts, and international events influencing domestic policy and public sentiment.
‘Cautious economic recovery’, resurgence of insurgency
If 2024 was the year Nigeria had to swallow the bitter pill of economic reforms, some say 2025 was a year of “cautious economic recovery,” characterised by stabilising macroeconomic indicators.
Statistics show that the economy grew by 3.98 per cent in Q3 2025, a slight increase from 2024 but still below the government’s 4.6 per cent target.
Also, headline inflation saw a significant decline. By June 2025, it dropped to 22.22 per cent (down from over 34 per cent in 2024), according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
However, food inflation remained a primary concern for many households, as over 33 million people were projected to face “crisis-level” food insecurity during the 2025 lean season, a 32 per cent increase from 2024.
Mass kidnappings and insurgency saw many killed by terrorists and bandits, including in Kwara.
November 2025 saw over 200 students and teachers taken from a school in Niger, leading to the temporary closure of thousands of schools across the North-West.
Between June and October, flash floods affected 115 local governments, displacing 129,000 people and destroying roughly 761,000 hectares of cropland.
Dangote’s many battles with oil marketers, regulators
After beginning operations in 2024, the Dangote Refinery was initially forced to source crude from international markets following the dispute with the NNPCL over a crude supply deal.
For the first time in decades, Nigeria saw a dramatic collapse in its reliance on foreign fuel, but after the supply disagreement was resolved, another crisis regarding marketing and retail arose.
2025 was defined by a public and often heated “tug-of-war” over fuel pricing between the refinery, the NNPCL, and independent marketers.
A landmark agreement was reached for the refinery to supply PMS directly to the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), which controls 80 per cent of retail outlets
The battle consumed the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed.
It has also led to a “positive price war”, which has seen both Dangote and the NNPCL slash petroleum prices.
Mass defection to ruling party: One-party state?
In 2025, the Nigerian political landscape saw a significant “tsunami” of defections as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) aggressively expanded its control.
As of December, five sitting governors had officially decamped to the APC from opposition parties. This wave has shifted the balance of power, giving the APC control over 27 out of the 36 states.
The “gale of defections” also swept through the legislative arm, as 12 senators and 32 members of the House of Representatives decamped officially to the APC.
This migration primarily depleted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), shifting the senate’s power balance from a simple majority to a “super-majority.”
While some say the action could lead Nigeria to becoming a one-party state and endanger democracy, others argue that it was the ruling party merely consolidating its popularity.
Eagles’ World Cup dream shattered spectacularly!
Nigeria’s senior men’s football team, the Super Eagles, failed to qualify for the FIFA 2026 World Cup to be hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
After a dodgy and unconvincing qualifying campaign, the team managed to make it to the African playoff stage, having finished second in Group C behind South Africa.
Four teams – Cameroon, Gabon, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – slugged it out to decide which nation would progress to the FIFA intercontinental playoff tournament in March 2026.
Having defeated Gabon 4-1 in their first playoff game in Morocco, the Super Eagles fell to the DRC on penalties after playing an uninspiring 1-1 draw in regulation time.
The result meant that Nigeria’s wait for its next World Cup participation since Russia 2018 continues.
Much ado about new tax laws
On June 26, 2025, President Bola Tinubu signed four landmark tax reform bills into law. The laws are expected to take effect from Jan. 1, 2026.
For many reasons, the laws have been one of the most controversial talking points of 2025.
Some companies, businesses, and individuals worry that it would lead to indiscriminate access to their bank accounts and finances.
However, the government said the laws aim to overhaul the Nigerian tax system to improve efficiency, streamline administration, and boost revenue.
On the continent of Africa, there was a surge in military takeovers, with notable coups in Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar.
Benin Republic thwarted an attempted coup in December, highlighting a broader trend of democratic erosion, insecurity, and political instability, especially in West Africa and the Sahel region.
It wasn’t all gloom and doom for the continent, though, as 2025 saw the continent host its first-ever G20 Summit, a heavy election calendar, and major steps towards continental integration.
Trump’s global trade war, Nigeria’s redesignation as CPC
In one of the most consequential turns of events in 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump kicked off his second coming with an unprecedented signing spree of executive orders.
Trump signed 46 documents, listed on the White House website, including 26 executive orders, 12 memoranda, and four proclamations on his first day in office.
He has since signed a total of 141 executive orders since returning to the presidency in January, including enacting steep tariffs, ending birthright citizenship, curbing DEI and “gender radicalism”, and pardoning January 6 rioters.
His orders on trade and the imposition of additional trade tariffs on friends and foes alike sparked a global trade war, which has not been completely resolved.
The American president sparked a bitter debate when he announced that he was redesignating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) as a result of what he called serious violations of religious freedom.
A few days later, he threatened that he would consider potential military action to protect Nigeria’s perceived embattled Christians.
Trump might consider himself a dealmaker, and even promised to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of his presidency.
However, he is yet to resolve both that and the Middle East conflict, which at various stages involved Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and Iran.
In other parts of the world, following the death of Pope Francis, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as Pope Leo XIV in May, becoming the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church.
2025 also saw massive “Gen Z”- led protests across the globe, most notably in Nepal, where Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli was ousted.
One of the most tragic and significant global events of late 2025 was the Bondi Beach mass shooting in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 14.
Two gunmen, identified as Sajid Akram (50) and his son Naveed Akram (24), initiated the assault, killing 15 people and injuring over 40 others.
The 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, attracted one of the largest turnouts in COP history, with over 56,000 registered delegates.
While the United States did not send an official federal delegation for the first time, state-level representatives attended in alternative capacities.
China, contrary to some reports, was represented by a sizeable, high-profile delegation, actively participating in negotiations and side events.
Observers noted that, albeit strong attendance, some political commitments; especially on fossil fuel phase-outs and climate finance, fell short of expectations.
By Kayode Adebiyi, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)