Four Years, Too Short for Change – Goodluck Jonathan Calls for Longer Presidential Terms in West Africa
Jonathan’s remarks reignite debate over presidential tenure and its impact on sustainable development in West Africa

- Jonathan says four-year terms are too short for meaningful development
- New presidents lose valuable time adjusting and preparing for re-election
- Calls for West African nations to consider longer presidential tenures
Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has voiced concerns over the four-year presidential terms in Nigeria and Ghana, describing them as insufficient for meaningful national development.
Speaking at the Executive Leadership Retreat in Ada, Ghana, Jonathan addressed ministers and senior officials, highlighting the unique challenges of governance in West Africa and the structural limitations of the short presidential tenure.
“In Nigeria and Ghana, we have just four years for a presidential term, unlike most African countries where it’s five,” he said. “What can truly be achieved in just four years?”
He emphasized that a newly elected president often spends the first year getting up to speed, leaving only two productive years before the final year, which is typically dominated by election-related distractions.
Jonathan’s remarks contribute to an ongoing conversation in both nations about the effectiveness of current governance systems and whether longer terms could lead to better policy implementation and more sustainable national progress.