The Liberalist Centre, a pro-freedom organisation, alongside leading development experts, has renewed calls for greater accountability as a pathway to strengthening liberty and promoting prosperity across Africa.
This call was made during the maiden edition of the Conference of Freedom Advocates 2025, held in Abuja. The conference, themed “Inspire,” focused on driving conversations around free markets, limited government, and responsible regulation.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by Abdullah Tijani, Executive Director of the Liberalist Centre, Africa remains poor largely because it is not free. Tijani, a legal practitioner, stressed the importance of ideas and open dialogue in promoting liberty and advancing development across African societies.
Speaking on the need for accountability, Iniobong Usen, Senior Programme Coordinator at the International Budget Partnership, said the major threat to liberty in Nigeria stems from excessive government interference.
He explained that such interference often disrupts economic stability, citing President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove fuel subsidies in 2023 as an example.
“For Nigeria, petroleum subsidy remains the big elephant in the room. The state-owned NNPC used to be the sole importer of fuel products, determining both price and availability. But with the removal of the subsidy, we saw widespread reactions across the country,” Usen noted.
He added that collective civic action — where citizens demand transparency and accountability from government — is key to achieving prosperity and protecting freedom.
A journalist, Muritala Abdullahi, described the conference as thought-provoking, saying it examined the urgent need to rethink the factors stifling Africa’s social and economic growth.
“Freedom was placed at the centre of discussions on how to unlock Africa’s potential. The sessions explored how excessive government control affects trade, security, agriculture, and other sectors. Panelists analysed what kind of government Africa needs — and the kind it must move beyond,” Abdullahi said.
He added that, as a freedom advocate, the event left him inspired and better equipped to champion a freer and more prosperous continent.
Another participant, Habibat Sani, a law graduate, said the conference encouraged individuals like her to continue promoting liberty, good governance, and a society where every citizen enjoys freedom and opportunity.
“It was an avenue to keep echoing the ideals of a freer society,” she added.
