Special Advisor Slams Presidency Over Disputed Nigerian Living Standards Claim
"Atiku's Advisor Criticizes Presidency for Disregarding Adesina's Affirmation on GDP Expansion Growth - 'Cease Gaslighting Nigerians'"
A close aide to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has hit back at the presidency for dismissing the recent comments by outgoing President of African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, who stated that current-day Nigerians are arguably worse off than they were at Independence in 1960.
According to our sources, Adesina claimed that Nigeria's GDP per capita had fallen from $1,847 in 1960 to $824 in 2024 [journo-1], implying a deterioration in living standards.
Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, in a post via X, disputed these figures, emphasizing that historical data [hist-1] paint a markedly different picture. Quoting official statistics, Onanuga highlighted Nigeria's economic growth over the decades, noting a rise in GDP to $12.55 billion in 1970, $27.7 billion in 1975, $64.2 billion in 1980, and $164 billion in 1981. He attributed Nigeria's economic trajectory in the 1970s to the oil boom.
However, Ibe, in a fiery response, stood by Adesina, asserting that the outgoing AfDB President was right, given the estimated 133 million impoverished citizens in Nigeria today [fact-1]. Ibe expressed concern that the presidency was gaslighting Nigerians and urged them to face the reality embodied in Adesina's statement.
He argued, "Dr. @akin_adesina was right. Can't we see the 133 million Nigerians living in poverty?
"Using raw GDP from 1960 without accounting for inflation is misleading or manipulative. Analysts would use PPP-adjusted numbers to assess changes in living standards, and by that measure, Nigeria has deteriorated.
"Life expectancy is staggeringly low at just 52 years. Unemployment is sky-high. The naira is weak, making everyday goods costlier. Having a mobile phone doesn't equate to solving hunger or energy woes. Selectively focusing on GDP and telecom stats while ignoring rising inequality, poverty, and institutional decay is deceptive, even cruel.
"Don't gaslight Nigerians. The people feel the hardships Adesina brought up. This is the real data... Must we refute everyone?""
Additional Perspectives
- Adesina: Tinubu, Atiku's Aides 'Fight' Over Nigeria's Economic Outlook Compared To 1960
- You Spoke Like Peter Obi - Presidency Tells Adesina
- 'Not Correct' - Presidency Tackles AfDB President For Comparing 2025 To 1960
- Nigeria's Economy Can't Grow With Generators - Adesina
- Security Agencies Must Take Action: Presidency Speaks On Tinubu Sacking Ministers
- Tinubu Is More Sincere Than Onanuga - Okonkwo
Enrichment
Overall:The claim by Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), that Nigeria's GDP per capita is lower today ($824 in 2024) than it was in 1960 ($1,847) has been disputed by the Nigerian Presidency. However, the exact GDP per capita figure for 1960 remains a point of contention, with Adesina citing $1,847 and the Presidency suggesting around $93 based on GDP of $4.2 billion and a population of approximately 44.9 million at that time.
If we accept Adesina's figure of $824 in 2024, it suggests that Nigerians' living standards may have declined relative to 1960 when using his cited figures. However, using the Presidency's figure of $93 for 1960, Nigeria's GDP per capita in 2024 would be significantly higher. A decline in GDP per capita generally indicates that average incomes are falling, which can impact living standards negatively by reducing purchasing power and access to essential services. Such a decline can result from various factors, including population growth exceeding economic growth, political instability, inadequate infrastructure, and reliance on sectors like agriculture, which may not drive rapid economic development. Thus, even if Adesina's figures are disputed, the trend of a declining GDP per capita can still reflect challenges in maintaining or improving living standards for Nigerians.
- Despite Tinubu's aides opposing the statement, Akinwumi Adesina strongly believes that the current state of the economy in 'naija' is weaker than it was in 1960, as evidenced in the general news report on policy-and-legislation.
- According to the enrichment data, Adesina claims that Nigeria's GDP per capita fell from $1,847 in 1960 to $824 in 2024, implying a significant deterioration in living conditions for Nigerians.
- In response to the Presidency's denial of Adesina's economic claims, Paul Ibe accuses the Presidency of gaslighting the citizens of Nigeria, urging them to confront the reality faced by the nation's 133 million impoverished citizens.
- The ongoing dispute over Nigeria's economic growth between Adesina and the Presidency highlights a need for strong and effective policy-and-legislation aimed at improving the living conditions for Nigerians, as echoed by the voices in the field of policy-and-legislation.
- As Akinwumi Adesina stepped down as the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), some analysts argue that the naira's weakness is a crucial indicator of Nigeria's struggling economy and the need for more considered policy-and-legislation in 'Nigeria'.
- In the realm of politics, Akinwumi Adesina's claims about the decline in Nigeria's GDP and subsequent lower living standards have sparked debates, with renowned figures like Tinubu and Abubakar sharing their perspectives on the economic state of the nation.
- In his departure speech, Akinwumi Adesina expressed concerns over the sustained reliance on gas for power generation in Nigeria, suggesting that the nation's economy cannot grow effectively with such dependence, highlighting the need for more far-reaching policy-and-legislation in the 'energy' sector of 'Nigeria'.
