Former Ogun State Governor and Senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has said Nigeria cannot build a strong economy without security, just as lasting security cannot be achieved without a strong economy.
Daniel stated this on Thursday as the Special Guest of Honour at the 7th Freedom Online Yearly Lecture held at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Economy and Security: The Future of Nigeria,’ Daniel said the two issues were inseparable and must be addressed together if the country was to achieve sustainable development.
He noted that Nigeria’s economy had recorded encouraging signs, including a reported 4.43 per cent growth in the second quarter of 2026, with improvements in the agriculture and services sectors.
However, he said the real measure of economic progress should be how Nigerians experienced the economy in their daily lives.
He asked whether young Nigerians could find decent jobs, farmers could safely access their farms, manufacturers could produce competitively and small businesses could survive the rising costs of power, transportation and finance.
Daniel said the questions were directly connected to security, which he described as an essential component of economic infrastructure.
He said insecurity affected food production, increased the cost of transporting goods, weakened business competitiveness and discouraged investment.
‘The reported abduction of more than 7,800 people between July 2025 and June 2026 is therefore not only a security statistic. It is also an economic warning,’ he said.
The senator, however, said Nigeria should not be defined solely by its challenges, citing its young population, entrepreneurial culture, growing technology sector, financial institutions and vibrant creative economy as sources of strength.
He said the priority should be to create conditions that would enable Nigerians to deploy their abilities and enterprise on a larger scale.
According to him, such conditions include security, infrastructure and economic opportunities.
‘Nigeria’s future cannot depend on oil alone’
Daniel said while oil remained important to the Nigerian economy, the country’s future could not depend on the commodity alone.
He noted that the non-oil sector accounted for approximately 95.8 per cent of real GDP in the second quarter of 2026, reflecting the growing importance of agriculture, manufacturing, technology, construction, financial services, tourism, entertainment and the digital economy.
He said the challenge was to translate growth in these sectors into productive jobs, higher incomes and improved living standards.
Daniel particularly stressed the need to provide opportunities for young Nigerians, saying they required skills, employment, access to capital and technology to contribute meaningfully to the country’s development.
‘If we give our young people opportunity, they will build Nigeria. If we deny them opportunity, frustration will grow and social stability will suffer,’ he said.
Daniel cites Lagos, Ogun as examples
The former governor said Lagos and Ogun states offered examples of what could be achieved when population, enterprise, infrastructure and opportunity were brought together.
He acknowledged that both states faced challenges but said Nigerians were remarkably productive when provided with an enabling environment.
Daniel called for similar opportunities to be extended across the country, enabling entrepreneurs in cities such as Aba, Kano, Ibadan, Jos, Port Harcourt and Maiduguri to operate with the same confidence as their counterparts in Lagos.
He said the decisions being made today would determine the Nigeria of tomorrow.
‘If we secure our farms, we strengthen food security. If we secure our roads, we strengthen commerce. If we secure our communities, we attract investment. If we create jobs and invest in our young people, we strengthen social stability and the future of the nation,’ he said.
Daniel said he remained optimistic about Nigeria, arguing that the country’s capacity was greater than its problems.
‘We have the people, the resources, the market and the entrepreneurial spirit. What we need is the security, leadership, infrastructure and discipline to convert potential into prosperity,’ he said.
He thereafter handed over to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was scheduled to deliver the main lecture.