Nigeria’s 2027 election fuels tribal rhetoric and returnee debate amid Lagos waste woes

As Nigeria approaches its 2027 general election, commentators note a resurgence of tribal‑based political strategies, with politicians invoking ethnic divisions to rally support. Recent reports of a "last batch" of Nigerians voluntarily returning from South Africa have been highlighted by state governments, which staged welcome ceremonies and photo opportunities for the returnees. Critics argue that such displays distract from the underlying issue of limited economic opportunities that drive emigration.

The pieces also reference Lagos’s urban development trajectory: successive mayors—from Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Babajide Sanwo‑Olu—have previously improved the city’s cleanliness and green spaces, but observers now point to a resurgence of waste accumulation in neighborhoods such as Ipaja, suggesting a slip in sanitation management.