Presidency Rejects Atiku’s ‘Hunger’ Claims, Insists Nigeria Making Progress

The Presidency has rejected assertions by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar that Nigeria is being ravaged by hunger, describing his analogy of the country’s situation to pre-revolutionary France or Russia as misleading and alarmist. The response came in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.


Onanuga said that Atiku and his team are “out of touch with the positive developments currently unfolding in our country,” pointing to recent data to support his claim. According to the Presidency, headline inflation has fallen for the fifth month in a row, while non-oil exports are now contributing nearly as much to the trade balance as crude oil (a ratio of 48:52).


The government further stated that Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves have risen to almost US$42 billion, up from US$32 billion when President Bola Tinubu assumed office. Also cited was the clearing of over US$7 billion in arrears, including US$800 million owed to airlines.


In addition, the Presidency claimed that states are now able to pay salaries and gratuities on time and still have surplus funds for capital and social projects, a condition described as “unprecedented.” The statement maintained that despite lingering economic challenges, the country under President Tinubu is on the “right path.”


While the Presidency acknowledged that hardship persists for many Nigerians, it urged citizens and political rivals alike to recognise the strides made and to avoid “doomsday scenarios and revolutionary rhetoric.” Critics say that real lives are affected by inflation, unemployment and food insecurity, but the administration insists that those challenges are being addressed.


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