The Presidency has dismissed claims of widespread hunger in Nigeria, insisting that many citizens are benefiting from the policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated this while speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Tuesday.
According to Onanuga, ongoing infrastructure projects and economic interventions introduced by the government are having positive impacts on Nigerians.
He cited his recent experience travelling from Ibadan to Lagos through Ijebu-Ode and Sagamu, where he observed a newly constructed concrete road.
Onanuga also pointed to government-backed credit facilities for civil servants, saying workers now have access to loans at single-digit interest rates.
He argued that the narrative of widespread hunger was being exaggerated, noting that his personal interactions with Nigerians did not reflect the level of hardship often portrayed in public discourse.
The presidential aide further highlighted the recent increase in the national minimum wage, stating that the Tinubu administration had raised it by more than 100 per cent.
Onanuga also referenced an incident during the early days of the administration when a video of the President was accompanied by the Yoruba phrase “Ebi n pa wa” (meaning “we are hungry”), saying it contributed to the perception that Nigerians were experiencing severe hunger.
His remarks come amid ongoing debates over the country’s economic conditions, rising cost of living and the impact of government reforms on citizens.
Onanuga’s words: “I was travelling from Lagos, from Ibadan to Lagos, and Google maps told me that there’s
