Campaigning for Nigeria's 2027 presidential election has officially begun, with President Bola Tinubu seeking a second term in a race expected to be defined by a cost-of-living crisis, widespread insecurity, and a fragmented opposition that may ultimately work in the incumbent's favour. The election is scheduled for January 16, with separate gubernatorial polls to follow on February 6.

Tinubu, who took office in 2023, moved quickly to overhaul Nigeria's economy, scrapping a costly fuel subsidy, liberalising the foreign exchange rate, and revamping the tax code — steps that won praise from international investors and the International Monetary Fund, which credited the reforms with improving macroeconomic stability. But the human cost has been severe. Inflation surged to 34 percent at its peak before cooling to around 15.4 percent in July, and the naira lost significant value. More than 60 percent of Nigerians now live below the poverty line, up from 40 percent in 2019, according to the World Bank. For ordinary citizens, the reforms have translated into sharply higher food prices and transport costs.