Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has launched a scathing critique of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, arguing that the administration’s “harsh neoliberal policies” are responsible for plunging millions of Nigerians into deeper poverty and wiping out the country’s middle class. Speaking on a national television program, Falana stated that the economic hardship faced by citizens is worsening daily despite the President’s calls for governors to do more to alleviate suffering.
Falana specifically pointed to the removal of the fuel subsidy and the liberalization of the foreign exchange market as the primary drivers of the current crisis. He said these policies, which he believes were heavily influenced by international financial institutions like the IMF and the World Bank, have led to a severe cost-of-living crisis. “Most Nigerians cannot afford three square meals a day,” he stated, adding that the once-vibrant middle class has been decimated by the rising inflation and currency devaluation.
The senior lawyer’s comments were made in the context of a recent meeting where President Tinubu urged governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to “wet the ground more” to ease economic pain at the grassroots level. Falana, however, insisted that the primary responsibility for initiating concrete welfare action lies with the federal government. He also criticized the disparity in government spending, noting that the administration is allocating billions of naira to projects like the renovation of the International Conference Centre while providing inadequate funding for social welfare programs.
Statistical data supports Falana’s claims about a rise in poverty. According to World Bank projections, an additional 45 million Nigerians have fallen into poverty since 2019, bringing the estimated total to almost half of the population in 2024. The data also reveals a significant decline in the living standards of the urban poor and a stagnation in job creation, which Falana said is a direct result of the government’s economic policies.
Falana urged the administration to reconsider its economic direction and go back to the drawing board. He recommended an immediate review of the current policies and called for a more robust and adequately funded social investment program. By his assessment, the government possesses sufficient funds to implement effective welfare schemes but lacks the political will to prioritize them over what he views as wasteful spending on other projects.
