The Arewa Dignity Advancement Initiative (ArDA), a non-governmental and non-political organisation, has called for quick, innovative solutions and urgent action to address what it described as the increasingly unbearable hardship faced by average citizens in Northern Nigeria.
In a statement signed by its Chairperson, Hajiya Baheejah Mahmood, and General Secretary, Abubakar Muhammad, and distributed to reporters in Bauchi, the group listed inflation, unemployment, rising living costs, along with incidents of insurgency, terrorism, and banditry, as some of the major challenges confronting Nigerians.
“With grave concern, the body regrets and decries the continuing deterioration or escalation in the spate of insecurity-related incidents in all the three geopolitical zones under which the northern states are grouped,” the statement read in part.
ArDA warned that Nigeria was gradually drifting into chaos following the removal of fuel subsidy, noting that the resulting economic shock had worsened poverty and social dislocation across the region.
The group also attributed the hardship to the Federal Government’s growing domestic and external borrowing, as well as the introduction of new taxes and levies.
“ArDA is deeply concerned that while the Federal Government continues heavy borrowing and invests trillions in projects that largely benefit one region, core sectors sustaining most Nigerians—especially agriculture in the North—are being ignored or weakened,” the group said.
According to the organisation, the aggressive taxation of citizens without inclusive planning or cushioning measures has increased hardship, distorted markets, weakened food production, deepened inequality, and eroded democratic dividends.
It issued a strong alert to the Federal Government and the leadership of the 19 Northern states and the FCT, warning that the region is facing a dangerous mix of “economic manipulation, agricultural decline, rising insecurity, social dislocation, and deliberate marginalisation.”
“These unfolding trends are not accidental; they reflect policy decisions, economic mismanagement, and governance failures that are pushing the region toward unprecedented hardship,” the statement added. “Though the situation is serious, ArDA affirms it is fully surmountable—with genuine political will at both federal and state levels.”
The organisation urged Nigerians to rally around federal and state authorities and pray for divine intervention to address economic hardship, insecurity, and underdevelopment in the region. It also cautioned government officials against reckless spending of public funds.
“These problems reflect the region’s cascading political, social, and economic challenges,” ArDA warned, noting that the prolonged nature of the crises, if left unaddressed, could trigger social unrest. It also expressed concern about widening regional disparities in education, health, infrastructure, economic inclusion, political participation, and general living conditions.
“Governments must move to curb such disparities to ensure that Nigeria does not become two-states-in-one,” it said. “Factors that unify rather than divide citizens should attract urgent attention.”
ArDA called for decisive action by governments at all levels to confront what it described as the “rapid decline in living conditions” in Northern Nigeria, stressing that the introduction of new taxes was becoming “too heavy to bear for ordinary Nigerians.”
It urged the rollout of public policy programmes aimed at boosting purchasing power and reducing poverty.
On the national front, the organisation noted that citizens continue to grapple with “runaway inflation, poverty, unemployment, rapid deterioration in standards of living, and worsening insecurity,” including the inability of many farmers to access their farmlands.
It linked many of the challenges to recent government policies, including fuel subsidy removal, naira floating, rising electricity tariffs, and increasing taxes, alongside what it described as “insensitive profligacy in government spending.”
“Given the quantum and widening dimensions of the problems, public policy response remains weak and ineffective at best,” the group observed.
ArDA called on Nigerians to support the government and pray for God’s intervention, expressing hope that the country would eventually transform into a prosperous nation where justice, equity, love, and hope replace despair.
The group reaffirmed its commitment to defending dignity, promoting unity, empowering youth and women, supporting farmers, strengthening traditional institutions, advocating for justice, and advancing sustainable development.
“The North can rise again—with the right leadership, policies, and priorities,” ArDA stated.
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