Atiku Challenges Tinubu: '$1 Trillion Economy Can't Thrive on Poverty'

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has once again voiced strong criticisms regarding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's economic policies, asserting that the current administration's goals are out of touch with the financial struggles faced by ordinary Nigerians. Speaking through his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku, who was the presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), declared, 'You cannot build a $1 trillion economy by making your own people poorer.' He further emphasized that such an approach does not align with how successful nations are developed, adding, 'That is not how prosperous nations are built.' Atiku also urged, 'Nigeria must stop behaving like a loading bay for raw materials.' His remarks come as he argues that despite official reports indicating some improvements in macroeconomic figures, the majority of the populace has experienced a rise in poverty and economic difficulties over the past three years. This critique emerges after the National Bureau of Statistics released figures showing a moderation in Nigeria's headline inflation rate to 15.39 percent in August 2026. The same statistical report also highlighted a significant 106 percent increase in the export of raw materials, which escalated from ₦1.86 trillion in the first half of 2025 to ₦3.84 trillion during the corresponding period in 2026.