Tinubu’s Reforms Bold, But Regionalisation Must Be Next — Adesanya-Davies

Professor of Applied Linguistics and Communication Arts at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what she described as six bold reforms since the inception of his administration, urging him to make restructuring through regionalisation the next major step.

Adesanya-Davies, a former presidential candidate and UN-POLAC Peace Consul, made the call in an open letter to the President dated September 1, 2026.

She said the Tinubu administration had taken difficult decisions that previous governments avoided for decades, citing the removal of fuel subsidy and forex unification, tax and revenue reforms, investment in human capital, direct allocation of funds to local governments, workers’ welfare measures and enhanced national security cooperation.

According to her, the reforms had begun repositioning the country, but their gains could only be consolidated through fundamental changes to Nigeria’s governance structure.

She argued that Nigeria had operated a highly centralised system for too long, leaving the Federal Government overloaded while states and local governments remained heavily dependent on Abuja.
Adesanya-Davies therefore called on Tinubu to lead a restructuring process that would recognise the six geopolitical zones as federating units with clearly defined responsibilities.

She said regionalisation would promote faster development by allowing regions to design policies around their peculiar economic and social circumstances.

“Let each of the six regions control agriculture, education, health, internal security and infrastructure,” she said, adding that competition among the regions would drive productivity and innovation.

The university don also advocated greater fiscal federalism, saying regions should generate revenue, retain a larger share and remit an agreed portion to the Federal Government.

On security, she proposed regional policing to work alongside federal security agencies and international partners, arguing that those closest to security challenges would be better positioned to respond to them.

She stressed that regionalisation would not amount to disintegration, as the Federal Government would retain responsibilities for defence, foreign affairs, currency and inter-regional commerce.

Adesanya-Davies urged the President to convene a National Dialogue on Regionalisation and sponsor a constitutional amendment bill before the National Assembly to devolve powers and formally recognise the six geopolitical zones as federating units.
“History will not remember leaders only for policies.

History remembers leaders who had the courage to change structures. You have shown that courage in the economy. Show it now in governance structure,” she said.

She further expressed the readiness of herself and other professors across the country to support research, civic education and stakeholder engagement towards ensuring a peaceful transition to a more decentralised governance system.