The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has disagreed with the claim that Nigeria is worse off than before Tinubu came to power in 2023.

Onanuga also criticized some journalists for questioning the reported decline in inflation and insisting that Nigeria has made little or no progress under the current administration.

Specifically, Onanuga accused the anchors of promoting the opposition’s narrative, arguing that food prices had dropped and that the country had recorded significant economic gains since Tinubu assumed office in 2023.

The presidential media aide, in a statement shared on 𝕏, in the early hours of Friday, was reacting to an interview on Arise News.

He dared television presenters to visit markets to assess the changes in food prices, citing the cost of rice as an example, which, according to him, now sells below ₦50,000 per bag, compared to previous prices which were as high as ₦120,000.

“Food prices are crashing. The favourite rice that at a time was selling for N120k a bag has crashed below N50k. In my hometown, a bag now sells for N45K,” he said.

Onanuga also defended the data from the National Bureau of Statistics which supports that inflation is reducing in Nigeria.

He faulted those who maintain that nothing had changed positively under Tinubu.

He said the administration had made “tremendous progress”, adding that the support of 33 state governors for the President reflected confidence in his leadership.

“Their position has become so ridiculous that they keep parroting the old narrative, and now they question the NBS data on receding inflation. I will advise them to revisit the markets. Food prices are crashing. The favourite rice that at a time was selling for N120k a bag has crashed below N50k. In my hometown, a bag now sells for N45K. Under President Tinubu, Nigeria is making tremendous progress. Thirty-three governors cannot be wrong in casting their support for President Tinubu,” Onanuga argued.

The presidential media aide further cited Nigeria’s foreign reserves, which he said were approaching $60bn, as evidence of economic progress.

He also said Nigerians could now use their naira cards abroad, describing it as something that had been impossible before Tinubu’s presidency.

According to him, businesspeople can now access the foreign exchange needed to import raw materials and equipment.

On investment, Onanuga rejected claims by some television anchors that foreign investors were returning mainly as portfolio investors.

He argued that the investors coming into the country included foreign direct investors, who bring money into the economy and create jobs.

Onanuga also noted that Nigerians accounted for almost 90 per cent of participation in the stock market.

He attributed the country’s economic progress to the foundation laid by Tinubu, saying the President was poised to take Nigeria to a higher level of shared prosperity.

“Our reserves are close to $60 billion. Nigerians are now able to use their Naira cards abroad, something that was impossible before Tinubu’s presidency.

Businesspeople can now buy the forex they need to import raw materials and equipment. Investors are coming back, not mainly as portfolio investors, as some anchors claim, even though Nigerians dominate the stock market, accounting for almost 90 per cent.

These investors belong in the category of FDI. They bring money into our economy and create jobs. These facts are clear to anyone not blinded by partisanship and hatred for the leader who has laid a solid foundation for the economy and is poised to take the nation to a higher level of shared prosperity,” Onanuga added.

He warned against blind partisanship and hatred for Tinubu, insisting that the President has laid a solid economic foundation through his reforms.

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