Lai Mohammed Raises Alarm Over Rising Cost of Politics in Nigeria

Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has raised concerns over the high cost of contesting political offices in Nigeria, warning that it poses a barrier to participation, particularly for young people.

Mohammed spoke at the weekend at the London School of Economics and Political Science during a session on developments under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari and his new book, ‘Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments That Defined an Administration.’

Responding to a question on the accessibility of Nigerian politics, he acknowledged that the financial demands of contesting elections are significantly higher than in many parts of the world.

“The field of politics in Nigeria is open to young and ambitious people. However, politics in Nigeria is more expensive than in other parts of the world. That is also a factor we must work at. Two days ago, the ruling party released its timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections,” he said.

He outlined the cost implications for aspirants, citing nomination and expression of interest forms as major financial hurdles.

According to him, presidential aspirants pay up to N100 million, comprising N70 million for the nomination form and N30 million for the expression of interest form. Governorship aspirants pay about N50 million, while senatorial hopefuls spend around N20 million.

Mohammed attributed the high cost to the funding structure of political parties, noting that parties rely heavily on election periods to generate revenue.

“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 develops 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 forms and then we make a lot of money to run the party,” he explained.

Despite the financial challenges, Mohammed maintained that young Nigerians are still making significant strides in politics.

“There is still a level playing field if you understand the rules. Many young people without political antecedents are doing well in Nigerian politics and governance,” he added.

Reflecting on his time in office, Mohammed said his priority as minister was to strengthen communication between the government and citizens through more engaging and responsive strategies.

He noted that initiatives such as thematic town hall meetings and ministerial scorecards were introduced to improve public engagement and accountability.

“My priority was not just to communicate government policies, but also to listen. I realised that until you get 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,” he said.

He added that effective governance requires balancing policy implementation with public perception.

“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.”

“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.”