The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized the Federal Government’s claims of economic recovery, saying the World Bank’s October 2025 report, which revealed that 139 million Nigerians are now living below the poverty line, paints a grim picture of worsening living conditions under the current administration.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party described the World Bank’s findings as an “unbiased verdict” on the true state of Nigeria’s economy.
World Bank report exposes deepening poverty
According to the World Bank’s Nigeria Development Update (NDU) report titled “From Policy to People: Bringing the Reform Gains Home,” released in October 2025, poverty in Nigeria has surged from 81 million people in 2019 to a staggering 139 million in 2025.
The ADC said this alarming increase exposes the widening disconnect between official government narratives and the harsh economic realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.
“The World Bank numbers tell a painful story: under the APC and President Bola Tinubu’s government, more Nigerians have fallen into poverty than at any other time in our history,” Abdullahi stated.
“Worst is not over” — ADC responds to Tinubu’s Independence Day speech
The party recalled that during his October 1 Independence Day broadcast, President Tinubu declared, “The worst is over,” while referencing economic recovery data. The ADC, however, argued that these statistics do not reflect the suffering of millions of Nigerians.
“Behind those optimistic figures lie grim realities — families skipping meals, children dropping out of school, and households selling personal belongings just to stay afloat,” the party said.
The ADC accused the government of focusing on macro-level indicators like revenue growth while neglecting the human cost of policies that have led to spiraling inflation, rising unemployment, and shrinking purchasing power.
Soaring food prices and shrinking safety nets
The party raised concerns about the growing cost of living, particularly food inflation. According to the World Bank report, poor families now spend approximately 70 percent of their income on food, leaving little to nothing for rent, healthcare, or education.
The ADC also highlighted the deterioration of social protection programmes, noting that coverage dropped from 20 percent in 2019 to just 6 percent in 2025. Additionally, government spending on social safety nets is now at only 0.14 percent of GDP, far below the global average of 1.5 percent.
“The truth is that Nigerians are worse off under the current administration. Contrary to the President’s claim, the worst is not over — it appears the worst has only just begun,” the ADC said.
ADC challenges poverty measurement criteria
Another critical point raised by the ADC was the use of what it described as an “artificially low” domestic poverty line. The party argued that setting the poverty threshold too low obscures the true scale of economic suffering in the country.
“A poverty line that is set too low does not protect the poor — it hides them,” Abdullahi said. “The government cannot fix poverty by redefining it downward.”
Call for policy overhaul and people-centered governance
In concluding its statement, the ADC called for an urgent policy reset focused on inclusive economic growth, food security, and job creation. The party urged the Federal Government to move beyond rhetoric and demonstrate real commitment to addressing the suffering of millions.
“What Nigeria needs now is a government that puts the people first and understands that inclusive growth is not just a slogan, but a deliberate strategy for national development,” the party emphasized.
The ADC’s strong reaction comes amid widespread public concern about the effectiveness of recent economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies and exchange rate unification, which, while praised by international bodies, have yet to produce tangible improvements in the lives of many Nigerians.
