Government accused of using spin to mask poverty, by Dele Sobowale

Economic policies must be evaluated based on their impact on citizens' welfare, as stated by Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, on July 16, 2026, emphasizing that any policy that fails to improve the people's welfare is inherently ineffective.

n

Tinubunomics, assessed by HRH Sanusi's measure of economic policy effectiveness, has been a resounding failure, despite the Federal Government's attempts to portray the RENEWED HOPE agenda as a success, a claim that the author agrees with Emir Sanusi on, absolutely.

n

Although the Federal Government has made some progress since 2023, the overall impact on the lives of most Nigerians, including the author's, has been devastating, with the author's bank account serving as evidence that contradicts the government's claims of improvement.

n

The government's spokesmen, from Ministers to Special Advisers, cannot convincingly argue that the majority of Nigerians are better off today than on May 29, 2023, as they have family members caught in the increasing poverty trap unleashed by Tinubunomics, affecting 99 percent of Nigerians.

n

The World Bank's description of the poverty situation as a threat is an understatement, as acute poverty already defines the lives of over 90 percent of Nigerians, who have been forced to adopt unimaginable coping mechanisms due to rapidly increasing prices and declining discretionary income.

n

The concept of a government's effectiveness is rooted in the idea that "it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong," as stated by Jeremy Bentham in 1748-1832, emphasizing the need for a government to prioritize the well-being of its citizens.

n

None of the government officials can dispute this assertion, especially when considering the poverty line, and the World Bank's prediction of a worse scenario, which contradicts the government's attempts to deceive suffering Nigerians that all is well.

n

As O Henry once said, "Love and business and family and religion and art and patriotism are nothing but shadows of words; when a man [or woman or child] is starving," highlighting the need for more fundamental solutions to address the poverty crisis, beyond mere donations.

n

Before addressing the Federal Government's latest attempt to eradicate poverty, it is essential to ask who the real beneficiaries of Tinubu's reforms are, with evidence suggesting that the top ten Nigerians have increased their average wealth by 80 percent since the reforms started.

n

Two examples illustrate the point: petrol prices have risen from never reaching N600 per liter before Tinubu to averaging N1,200 per liter today, without any increase in workers' pay, and the interest on the Federal Government's borrowed funds will accrue to those with billions to invest, while the capital plus interest will be repaid by all Nigerians.

n

The Federal Government's answer to the poverty crisis, as reported by VANGUARD on July 17, 2026, is vague, untruthful, and badly conceived, with Tinubu unveiling a $3bn social protection and human capital program that lacks a simple and easily recalled name, unlike successful programs such as the US's Great Society program or China's Great Leap Forward.

n

The program's announcement was missed as an opportunity for the President to lead from the front and silence critics, instead, it was turned over to a Minister, creating the impression that the President does not believe in the program, and the name lacks a sound bite, making it unnewsworthy.

n

The claims made by the Federal Government, such as an 11.2 percent real GDP growth and a nearly 10 percent per capita income growth in USD terms, are false, as all GDP figures are quoted in USD, and the World Bank, IMF, and other global organizations agreed that Nigeria's GDP grew by 4.2 percent in 2025, which is a far cry from the claimed figures.

n

The claim that 15 million vulnerable households have been reached, lifting an estimated 7.5 million people out of poverty, is also false, and the author challenges the Federal Government to provide the names and addresses of the people who have been lifted out of poverty, particularly in areas like Lagos Island.