Social Listening Brief: Nigeria | 31 December 2025

Overview: The final days of 2025 have been dominated by three major narratives: a tragic international incident involving a sports icon, intense political criticism over presidential travel, and a profound national sovereignty crisis triggered by foreign military intervention.

1. Global Media Spotlight on Nigeria After Anthony Joshua Car Crash

Summary: A fatal car crash involving British-Nigerian boxing star Anthony Joshua has attracted intense international media focus on Nigeria, highlighting its infrastructure and emergency response on a global stage.

Key Details:

• Incident: On 29 December, a Lexus SUV carrying former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua collided with a stationary vehicle on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.

• Casualties: Two fatalities were confirmed. Joshua and his driver sustained minor injuries.

• Official Response: The Ogun State Police and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) responded swiftly. Preliminary investigations by the FRSC cite excessive speed and wrongful overtaking as primary causes.

• Global Angle: As a UK-born global sporting icon with deep Nigerian heritage, Joshua’s involvement has transformed a local traffic incident into a major international news story, with outlets like The Guardian providing extensive coverage.

Implication: While the response was prompt, the incident inadvertently highlights ongoing challenges with road safety and infrastructure in Nigeria on a world stage.

2. President Tinubu’s International Trip Sparks Domestic Political Firestorm

Summary: President Bola Tinubu’s year-end trip to Europe and Abu Dhabi has ignited fierce criticism from opposition parties, framing it as insensitive amid national security concerns.

The Trip’s Itinerary:

1. Private Leg: Year-end holiday in Europe. 2. Official Leg: Attendance at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) Summit in January 2026.

The Criticism:

• Opposition Parties (ADC, Labour Party) label the timing “insensitive” and “devoid of empathy,” citing recent deadly bombings in Zamfara and U.S. airstrikes. They argue the President’s presence is needed for national reassurance and security coordination.

• The Defence (Presidency & APC) frames the travel as essential for global engagement, attracting investment, building security partnerships, and advancing sustainable development.

Context Amplifying Criticism:

• Security Backdrop: The trip was announced following a deadly bomb blast in Zamfara and U.S. counter-terrorism airstrikes.

• Travel History: President Tinubu has undertaken an estimated 46 foreign trips totalling 192 days abroad since May 2023, making this a sensitive recurring narrative.

Implication: The debate underscores a classic political tension between the perceived demands of domestic stewardship and the requirements of international diplomacy.

3. Sovereignty in Crisis: 80 Civil Society Groups Demand Resignations Over U.S. Airstrikes

Summary: A coalition of over 80 major civil society organisations (CSOs), including Amnesty International Nigeria and BudgIT, has issued a scorching condemnation of the U.S. Christmas Day airstrikes on Nigerian soil, accusing the government of an “abdication of responsibility” and demanding the resignation of President Tinubu and security chiefs.

Core Allegations:

• Abdication of Sovereignty: The coalition asserts President Tinubu “relinquished sovereign authority,” inviting foreign military intervention without a transparent legal framework or public accountability.

• Leadership Vacuum: They condemn the silence and absence of the President, Service Chiefs, and National Assembly leadership during the crisis, leaving the Foreign Minister to defend a decision that “strike[s] at the core of national sovereignty.”

• Lack of Transparency & Civilian Protection: No public information on the legal basis, rules of engagement, or protocols to prevent civilian harm has been provided, constituting a “serious governance failure.”

Their Demand: The statement concludes that if the leadership lacks the will or capacity to manage security constitutionally, “democratic integrity demands that they resign.”

3. Divided Nation: The Contested Narrative of the U.S. Sokoto Airstrikes

Summary: The U.S. strikes have exposed deep societal and analytical fissures within Nigeria, with conflicting narratives on justification, effectiveness, and long-term consequences.

The Divergent Narratives:

Expert Consensus (Security Analysts): The action is widely seen as a strategic misstep, likely to exacerbate local conflicts by misdiagnosing the drivers of violence (economic banditry vs. ideology) and inflaming anti-American and sectarian sentiments.

Broader Implication: This event is a pivotal test for U.S.-Nigeria relations, balancing counter-terrorism cooperation against respect for sovereignty, with potential to reshape Nigeria’s domestic security policy and international alignments.

Executive Summary

Nigeria enters 2026 navigating a triple crisis of perception: global scrutiny from a celebrity accident, domestic political strife over leadership presence, and a fundamental challenge to its sovereignty from within and abroad. The unifying thread is a demand for accountable, transparent, and present governance—whether on the highways, in the presidential villa, or in the defence of national territory. The response to these converging issues will set the tone for the political and security landscape in the coming year.

Socio-Political

Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date