The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has claimed that a large majority of Nigerians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, citing independent survey data indicating that 93 percent of citizens are dissatisfied with the current state of affairs under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bola Abdullahi, said the growing dissatisfaction among Nigerians is largely driven by rising poverty levels, worsening living conditions, and increasing economic hardship.
The ADC had earlier alleged that the Tinubu administration’s economic policies had pushed Nigeria’s poverty rate above 63 percent. According to the party, reforms introduced by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have deepened the economic struggles of many citizens.
In response, the APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, defended the government’s policies in a statement issued on Saturday. He argued that Nigerians largely support the administration’s economic reforms and maintained that the policies are already producing positive results. The ruling party also accused opposition groups of attempting to incite public dissatisfaction against the government.
However, the ADC rejected the APC’s position, insisting that publicly available data and independent reports reflect the real impact of the administration’s economic policies on ordinary Nigerians.
“The African Democratic Congress takes note of the APC’s response to our earlier statement on the rising poverty figures under the Bola Tinubu-led government,” the party said. “But instead of addressing the evidence that more Nigerians are falling into poverty, the ruling party has chosen to attack the opposition and dismiss the lived realities of millions of citizens. Facts cannot be dismissed through press statements.”
According to the ADC, an independent report shows that Nigeria’s poverty rate has risen to 63 percent, compared with about 50 percent before the removal of the petrol subsidy.
“This means tens of millions of additional Nigerians have been pushed into poverty since the administration introduced its economic policies. The APC claims Nigerians support its reforms, yet the data suggests otherwise,” the party stated.
The party further cited survey results indicating that 93 percent of Nigerians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, while 88 percent describe the national economy as bad, and 74 percent say their personal living conditions are poor.
“These are not opposition talking points; they represent the views of Nigerians themselves, including members of the APC,” the statement added.
The ADC also argued that the hardship experienced by Nigerians goes beyond temporary economic discomfort. It cited survey figures showing that 82 percent of Nigerians reported going without sufficient food at least once in the past year, while a similar proportion lacked access to medical care.
In addition, 79 percent of respondents reported going without cooking fuel, 74 percent lacked access to clean water at some point, and 95 percent said they had gone without a cash income during the same period.
“These figures indicate widespread and deepening economic distress, not temporary hardship,” the party said.
The opposition party also criticised the sharp increase in fuel prices since May 2023, when President Tinubu assumed office. According to the ADC, petrol prices have risen from about ₦255 per litre to around ₦1,500 in many parts of the country, significantly increasing transportation costs and driving up food prices.
The party questioned the government’s claim that savings from the fuel subsidy removal—estimated at about ₦6.4 trillion last year—were being redirected to critical sectors such as healthcare and social development.
“However, records show that only **₦36 million—about 0.02 percent of the capital budget—was released for capital projects in 2025 for Nigeria’s entire federal healthcare sector,” the statement said.
The ADC also expressed concern about developments in the agricultural sector, claiming that nearly 90 out of more than 150 rice mills across the country have shut down, while the remaining ones are operating below capacity.
Citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the party added that Nigeria’s food import bill increased sharply from ₦3.83 trillion in 2023 to ₦7.65 trillion, representing an increase of nearly 100 percent.
“This indicates that instead of strengthening the local agricultural sector and supporting Nigerian farmers, the policies of the APC government are undermining domestic production and putting thousands of farmers and processors out of business,” the party said.
The party concluded that economic reforms should ultimately be judged by their impact on citizens’ welfare.
“Nigerians do not expect economic lectures or political attacks on the opposition,” the statement said. “They expect policies that improve their lives.
“The APC may dismiss these concerns, but Nigerians cannot ignore the realities they face every day. Until the Tinubu administration measures success by the well-being of its citizens, the gap between official claims and the lived reality of Nigerians will continue to widen.”
