Nigeria Not Collapsing — Tinubu’s Aide Counters Alarmist Editorial

The Nigerian Presidency has dismissed recent claims suggesting the country is on the verge of collapse, calling such assertions exaggerated and misleading.

In a statement released on Thursday, Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, responded to a recent editorial titled “Nigeria is Collapsing under Tinubu’s Watch”. He accused the publication of fueling despair and misrepresenting the nation’s economic realities.

“Criticism is welcome, but it must be rooted in truth — not fear-mongering,” Dare said.

While admitting that Nigeria is indeed grappling with economic difficulties, he emphasized that the situation is not as catastrophic as critics claim. He specifically disputed the widely circulated claim that 33 million Nigerians are at risk of hunger, noting that the figure stems from projections in the Cadre Harmonisé report — a regional tool used to forecast food insecurity — not confirmed data.

Dare also highlighted the government’s intervention efforts aimed at easing hardship and stabilising the economy. These include:

• Releases from national food reserves

• Agricultural and food security initiatives

• Ongoing cash transfer and social welfare programmes

On the economic front, the presidential aide pointed to recent improvements in the naira-dollar exchange rate, and noted that reforms in tax and social policy are expected to gain significant traction by 2026.

“Alarmist journalism may generate headlines, but it does little to reflect the complex efforts being made to tackle national challenges,” Dare asserted.

The presidency’s reaction comes amid increasing public criticism of the administration’s policies, including the removal of fuel subsidies and currency unification, which have triggered sharp inflation and heightened food insecurity across the country.

Despite the backlash, the administration insists that its long-term reforms are designed to build a more stable, self-sustaining economy and reduce dependency on imports.