Atiku: CBN Survey Exposes Widening Gap Between Tinubu’s Economic Claims and Nigerians’ Reality

Atiku: CBN Survey Exposes Widening Gap Between Tinubu’s Economic Claims and Nigerians’ Reality

By The Analyst Editorial Desk

ABUJA — Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the economic policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, arguing that findings from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Household Expectations Survey have exposed what he described as official propaganda about the state of the Nigerian economy.

Atiku said the survey provides a sobering picture of the economic realities confronting ordinary Nigerians, particularly the declining ability of households to afford essential goods and long-term assets.

According to the former Vice President, the survey’s findings indicate that rising living costs and persistent economic pressures are making it increasingly difficult for Nigerians to purchase homes, vehicles and other basic household assets.

He argued that the findings contradict what he described as the government’s optimistic narrative about the impact of its economic reforms on citizens.

The CBN’s Household Expectations Survey is designed to gauge consumers’ perceptions and expectations regarding economic conditions, including household income, employment, prices and spending decisions.

Atiku maintained that the survey should serve as a wake-up call to policymakers, insisting that economic performance should ultimately be measured by improvements in the living conditions of citizens rather than by official claims or headline economic indicators.

He said the inability of families to acquire basic assets demonstrates the extent to which inflation, reduced purchasing power and the rising cost of living have affected household welfare.

The ADC presidential candidate further argued that government policies must be reassessed to ensure that economic reforms translate into tangible improvements in the lives of Nigerians.

According to him, an economy cannot be considered to be performing well when a significant proportion of its citizens are struggling to meet basic needs and are unable to make investments in housing, transportation and other household necessities.

Atiku’s comments add to growing political debate over the social consequences of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidies and foreign-exchange reforms, which the government has defended as necessary measures to stabilise the economy and place it on a sustainable growth path.

The former Vice President has consistently called for policies that, in his view, would strengthen productive capacity, create jobs, attract investment and reduce the pressure on households.

The latest intervention is also likely to intensify the political contest ahead of the 2027 general elections, as opposition parties increasingly focus on the economic experiences of ordinary Nigerians as a central campaign issue.

For millions of households, however, the most immediate measure of economic recovery remains the ability to afford food, housing, transportation, healthcare, education and other essentials.

The CBN survey, as cited by Atiku, therefore presents a potentially important indicator of how Nigerians themselves perceive the country's economic direction.

While the Tinubu administration continues to highlight economic reforms and macroeconomic indicators as evidence of progress, opposition figures argue that such gains must ultimately be reflected in improved household welfare.

The emerging debate underscores a fundamental question ahead of 2027: whether Nigeria’s economic recovery is being experienced broadly by citizens or remains, for many households, largely a statistical promise yet to translate into improved living standards.