The Presidency has acknowledged that more Nigerians have fallen into poverty under President Bola Tinubu’s administration but insists that the situation is linked to the economic reforms being implemented by the government.
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, made the admission on Wednesday while responding to a report by British publication The Economist that questioned Tinubu’s popularity ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Bwala also criticised the publication’s assessment of Nigerians’ dissatisfaction with the president, describing its argument as lacking sufficient evidence.
Published on October 1 under the title ‘Nigerians dislike their president, but may re-elect him anyway’, the report suggested that Tinubu could secure another term despite public discontent.
It highlighted worsening insecurity, the impact of economic reforms on households and the presence of strong political challengers as factors that could threaten his re-election prospects.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Bwala questioned the methodology used to reach the publication’s conclusions.
Bwala Questions Economist’s Assessment of Tinubu
The presidential aide argued that claims about the president’s popularity should be supported by proper research and should take differing public opinions into account.
“Let me say that The Economist’s theory, as published, is watery. It doesn’t have the substance. If you want to write an opinion piece, and especially when you want to rely on data, you want to make a claim on the data, the first thing you should do is to conduct a survey. There would be some people who don’t like him (Tinubu), but there are others who like him,” Bwala said.
He maintained that any assessment of Tinubu’s popularity should consider Nigerians who support the administration alongside those who oppose it.
Bwala cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides financing for eligible students, as one of the government’s initiatives that could influence public opinion.
“In other words, in democracy you have to allow the two voices to speak. When you make a claim that Nigerians don’t like him (Tinubu) without also saying that there are a lot of people, for example, one million families whose children have benefited from Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, do you think they hate him?” he asked.
He also pointed to government incentives in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors, arguing that the benefits received by some Nigerians should be considered when assessing the administration’s public support.
Presidency Acknowledges Rising Poverty
During the interview, Bwala was asked whether more Nigerians had been pushed into poverty under Tinubu’s administration.
He acknowledged the increase but argued that it was a consequence of the government’s economic reforms, which he said were necessary to achieve long-term progress.
“Do you know why? It is simply because we took a reform. There is no part of the world where reform comes with convenience. The population is 230 million, already at some stage of poverty. But we can’t make any progress until reform is carried out,” he said.
Bwala argued that previous administrations had avoided undertaking similar changes because of concerns about the consequences.
He said Tinubu had chosen to proceed despite the hardship associated with the reforms.
“But the president said we can’t make any progress. So, he took that reform. Please let it be clear, even to the opposition. The reason why you have this number of poor people, and some of these doomsday analyses that people are giving, is because we undertook a reform,” he added.
The presidential aide conceded that the policies had worsened poverty for some Nigerians but insisted that the government had also made progress since introducing the changes.
“There is no part of the world where you start a reform like that, and there will not be discomfort. More people went down to poverty. I acknowledge it, I’m not doubting. But, there is a but to it. Since the reform started till today, we have made marked progress, which is what we have spent the last three years doing.”
His remarks highlight the administration’s position that the economic reforms, despite their immediate social costs, are necessary to improve Nigeria’s long-term economic prospects.
Source: Channels Television interview
