Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has defended the President’s economic policies, arguing that the support of 33 state governors reflects confidence in his administration.
Onanuga also claimed that food prices had declined, foreign investors were returning to Nigeria and improvements had been recorded in the country’s foreign exchange market.
He made the remarks in a post on Friday while reacting to a video shared by Arise TV on X featuring Obafemi George, a member of the Media and Strategic Communications Committee of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council.
The presidential aide accused television presenters of repeatedly questioning the government’s economic progress and promoting the opposition’s position that little had improved since Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
“TV anchors keep pushing the opposition’s narrative that nothing has changed, positively, indeed, massively, since 2023,” Onanuga wrote.
He also criticised questions surrounding National Bureau of Statistics data indicating easing inflation, advising television presenters to visit markets to assess changes in food prices themselves.
Onanuga specifically pointed to the price of rice, claiming that a bag which previously sold for about ₦120,000 had dropped to below ₦50,000. He added that it was selling for ₦45,000 in his hometown.
Beyond food prices, the presidential aide cited Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves, improved access to foreign currency for businesses and the ability of Nigerians to use naira-denominated cards abroad as signs of progress under Tinubu’s administration.
He claimed that the country’s foreign reserves were approaching $60 billion and argued that businesses could now access foreign exchange to import essential raw materials and equipment.
Onanuga also challenged suggestions that foreign investors returning to Nigeria were mainly portfolio investors, insisting that foreign direct investment was bringing capital into the country and creating employment opportunities.
“These facts are clear to anyone not blinded by partisanship and hatred for the leader who has laid a solid foundation for the economy and is poised to take the nation to a higher level of shared prosperity,” he added.
His comments come amid continuing political debate over the impact of Tinubu’s economic reforms, with supporters pointing to improvements in some economic indicators while critics continue to raise concerns about the cost of living and the financial pressure on households.
