The Presidency has rejected assertions that Nigeria is nearing collapse, calling them “exaggerated” and “disconnected from reality.”
In a statement on Friday, August 8, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, criticised a recent editorial titled “Nigeria is Collapsing under Tinubu’s Watch” for misrepresenting the country’s economic state and heightening public anxiety.
While admitting that the nation faces economic difficulties, Dare said the situation is not as dire as portrayed. He clarified that the widely reported claim that 33 million Nigerians are at risk of hunger is based on a projection from the Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis, not a confirmed fact.
“Criticism is welcome, but it must be rooted in truth, not fear-mongering,” Dare stated.
He accused the editorial of ignoring government interventions to ease hardship, pointing to grain releases from national reserves, agricultural support programmes, and targeted cash transfers.
Dare also cited signs of progress from ongoing reforms, including a more stable naira-dollar exchange rate and upcoming tax and social policy changes, which he said are expected to yield “stronger results by 2026.”