There is a saying, “Don’t look like your problem,” but should dreamers not look like their dreams?

Nigeria is a nation currently locked in a passionate, often tumultuous embrace between its rugged reality and its radiant potential. It is a place where the creativity of its unparalleled youth thrives despite a failing system, and where their enduring spirit and resilience clash daily with the frustration of systemic instability.

Based on research conducted between 2025 and 2026, Nigeria’s insecurity rate has increased by 26.8% due to abductions, regional conflicts, widespread kidnapping, and banditry. Earlier research and reports from the World Bank stated that Nigeria’s poverty rate had continued to rise sharply, with an estimated 63% of the population affected. Amid all these challenges, Nigeria still retains some of its well-known qualities, such as its rising entrepreneurship, growth in technology, valued culture, and many more. The question for all Nigerians is: are we the ones failing the system, or is the system failing us?

Perhaps every great genesis starts with ambition, goals, and dreams. The same goes for Nigeria as a country. Our leaders and elders set interesting dreams and goals to characterise our “Future Nigeria”.

Part of this vision is the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were adopted in September 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda. The SDGs contain 17 key goals aimed at promoting sustainable development and a high standard of living. These goals cover areas such as healthcare, zero hunger, quality education, gender equality, clean energy, and many more.

However, we have sound and healthy dreams, but what about the gaps and lags between our present reality and our future aspirations? What exactly are the factors making our present unstable and leaving us with fewer chances of achieving our dreams for the future?

Nigerian youths keep working hard to become outstanding professionals in technical, medical, and other notable fields, striving tirelessly and resiliently to achieve their goals. However, our efforts often result in “DIASPORA”, commonly termed the “Japa syndrome”, which is one of the major gaps between our present reality and our future dreams. Our youths, who are key drivers of our national goals, keep leaving their beloved country due to insecurity, low salaries, and poor infrastructure. Imagine the repeated shutdowns of health centres because of unpaid salaries owed to resident doctors, leading to strikes.

In conclusion, the Nigeria we dream of isn’t a myth but a possibility waiting to be realised. We cannot place all the blame on our leaders; change has to start with the individual because we are our environment. The Nigeria we dream of can become a reality only if the gaps between our present and future are properly bridged by choosing action over silence and hope over despair.