Onanuga says infrastructure projects, social programmes are delivering benefits
Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on information and strategy to President Bola Tinubu, says many Nigerians are already benefiting from the administration’s economic reforms and social intervention programmes.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Tuesday, Onanuga defended the government’s policies and rejected claims that widespread hunger and hardship define the experience of most Nigerians.
According to him, public perceptions of hunger have been shaped by narratives that emerged shortly after Tinubu assumed office.
“We have been pigeon-holed into certain assumptions and conclusions,” he said.
“It’s like in the early days of this government. Somebody did a voice-over saying that we are hungry. Since then, people have been saying that.
“I am a Nigerian; I have people working for me privately. I don’t see the level of hunger people are talking about because I see them and I keep asking them questions. How are things? How are they adjusting? What are the problems?”
His comments come amid continued public debate over the impact of the administration’s reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of foreign exchange rates, which have contributed to higher living costs and inflation.
Onanuga cites roads, NELFUND and CreditCorp
The presidential aide argued that Nigerians are already experiencing the benefits of infrastructure projects being executed across the country.
Recalling a recent journey from Ibadan to Lagos, Onanuga said he was surprised to encounter a newly constructed concrete road while travelling through Ijebu-Ode.
“One day, I was travelling from Ibadan to Lagos and Google Maps told me there was a go-slow as I approached Lagos. So, I decided to take Ijebu-Ode via Sagamu. What struck me was that I just found myself on a paved concrete road. I said, ‘wow, when was this one built?’”
He also pointed to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, saying it had reduced travel time to his residence in Ajah.
“Anytime I go to Lagos and ask Google Maps to tell me how long it will take me to get home, it tells me one hour seven minutes,” he said.
“Before, it used to be two hours 30 minutes. The reason is because we now have a coastal road that has shortened my travel time.”
Onanuga further highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CreditCorp) as examples of programmes providing direct support to citizens.
“If you are a parent and you have four children in the university, and they are able to access a federal loan which is interest-free, are they not benefiting?” he asked.
“If you are a civil servant and you can access CreditCorp, a very cheap loan at a single-digit interest rate, are they not benefiting?”
Onanuga faults insecurity narrative, responds to Obi
The presidential aide also accused sections of the media of exaggerating insecurity in the country.
“The media in Nigeria are even creating the problem. The way they report insecurity is as if the entire country is consumed,” he said.
Onanuga cited a recent conversation with the managing director of NELFUND, who he said travelled by road from Abuja to Kebbi without incident.
“Don’t let people frighten you that the entire country is under siege. It is not so. There are security breaches, but the entire country is not under siege.”
He also dismissed recent comments by Peter Obi on Nigeria’s electricity sector, arguing that power generation has improved under the current administration.
“Power generation has increased. We are not at the level the president met it. We already have in Nigeria a stored capacity of 13,500 megawatts,” he said.
Onanuga added that one of the major challenges facing the power sector is gas supply, which he attributed to more than N4 trillion in legacy debts owed by operators to gas companies.
Background
Onanuga’s remarks come as the Tinubu administration continues to defend the economic reforms introduced since May 2023. The government has argued that measures such as subsidy removal, exchange-rate reforms, student loans, consumer credit schemes, and infrastructure investments are laying the foundation for long-term economic growth.
However, opposition politicians, labour unions, and civil society groups have repeatedly raised concerns about rising food prices, inflation, declining purchasing power, and insecurity, arguing that many Nigerians are yet to feel the benefits of the reforms.
