Tinubu Blames Opposition for Hunger, Poverty in Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu has blamed opposition parties for Nigeria’s hunger and poverty, insisting that his administration and state governors are working to improve citizens’ welfare.

Tinubu made the remarks on Saturday in Kaduna during the launch of his re-election campaign.

“I hear my opponent talk about hunger and poverty. Who created it? They did. They created poverty; they created hunger and poverty,” he said.

The president, who assumed office in 2023, succeeded former President Muhammadu Buhari, who governed Nigeria from 2015 to 2023 under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Tinubu said his administration and APC governors were making efforts to tackle poverty and improve economic conditions.

“We are trying to eradicate it (poverty and hunger). We pay salaries regularly. Our governors are working. I’m proud of them. I promise a second term of prosperity,” he said.

The remarks come amid persistent concerns over the rising cost of living, food insecurity and economic hardship across the country.

The APC has governed Nigeria at the federal level since 2015, after defeating the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the general election that brought Buhari to power.

Over the period, the country has faced persistent security challenges, including banditry, kidnappings, attacks on communities and the abduction of schoolchildren for ransom.

Nigerians have also experienced sharp increases in petrol prices, food costs, transportation fares and other essential expenses.

The naira has weakened significantly against the United States dollar, while inflation and the rising cost of living have continued to put pressure on households and businesses.

A report by the Global Network Against Food Crises, in collaboration with the Food Security Information Network and UNICEF, identified Nigeria as recording the world’s largest increase in acute food insecurity in 2024.

The findings were contained in the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises.

The International Monetary Fund has also highlighted persistent poverty and food insecurity in Nigeria under Tinubu’s administration.

Similarly, the World Bank’s Africa’s Pulse report of April 2025 identified Nigeria as having the world’s largest population of people living in extreme poverty and warned that more Nigerians could fall into poverty by 2027.

Despite the economic challenges, Tinubu has maintained that his administration’s policies and collaboration with state governors will improve living conditions and deliver greater prosperity if re-elected.