Opinion- By Abdul Lauya
The Federal Government has declared Thursday, June 12, 2025, a public holiday to commemorate Democracy Day, further reducing the country’s active workweek following two days of Eid-el-Kabir celebrations. This means Nigerians will work just three days this week, again raising concerns over a growing trend of excessive public holidays in a nation grappling with economic instability.
The announcement came via a statement from the Ministry of Interior, signed by Permanent Secretary Magdalene Ajani. Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, speaking on behalf of the government, called the day a celebration of Nigeria’s democratic resilience since 1999. “June 12 represents our historic journey to building a nation where truth and justice reign,” he said.
Yet behind the official celebration lies an increasingly controversial reality: Nigeria, one of the poorest and most corrupt nations globally, also happens to be one of the most holiday-prone. With at least 15 public holidays scheduled for 2025, many of them religious, critics argue the country spends more time pausing than producing.
This trend contrasts sharply with countries like China, the world’s second-largest economy and a fellow Global South nation, which recognizes just seven public holidays annually. China does not acknowledge religious holidays at the national level and often compensates for extended breaks with additional workdays. The country’s development trajectory reflects a culture of discipline, state-driven productivity, and a singular national focus on economic advancement.
The juxtaposition is stark. While Nigeria outwardly exudes religious devotion, shutting down for both Islamic and Christian holidays, it ranks 145th out of 180 on Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index. China, by contrast, ranks 76th, and continues to invest heavily in infrastructure, technology, and education to solidify its place as a global superpower.
Nigeria is a country that prays hard but works irregularly. The holidays are symbolic, yes, but they come at the cost of lost productivity, stifled private sector momentum, and public service inefficiency.
China didn’t become a world power by taking breaks. Nigeria, meanwhile, pauses the economy to perform rituals, while basic governance collapses under the weight of underperformance.
With high inflation, youth unemployment, poor infrastructure, and persistent fiscal deficits, economists are calling for a re-evaluation of Nigeria’s holiday culture. Some propose decentralizing certain religious holidays or making them optional within sectors, while others urge a cap on the number of mandatory nationwide breaks.
As Nigeria marks another Democracy Day, the irony isn’t lost: a nation that desperately needs to work continues to choose rest, over and over again.
