The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has sharply criticized the APC-led federal administration for exacerbating poverty and economic distress throughout Nigeria. The party insists that the recent World Bank report, which reveals that 139 million Nigerians now live below the poverty threshold, serves as undeniable proof of governmental shortcomings.
In a forceful statement released on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC highlighted how the report starkly contrasts the government’s optimistic narratives with the harsh realities endured by everyday Nigerians.
The World Bank’s October 2025 Poverty Assessment Report, published on Wednesday, indicates a dramatic rise in poverty, with the number of Nigerians living under the poverty line increasing from 81 million in 2019 to 139 million-equating to 61 percent of the population.
Despite the Presidency’s swift dismissal of the report as “unrealistic and not reflective of Nigeria’s economic situation,” the ADC accused the government of deliberately manipulating data to conceal its failures.
Sunday Dare, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, argued on X (formerly Twitter) that the World Bank’s methodology requires “proper contextualization within global poverty assessment frameworks.”
However, Abdullahi rejected this defense as misleading, stating: “Our analysis of the October 2025 World Bank Report confirms that 139 million Nigerians now live in poverty, up from 81 million in 2019. This figure, representing 61 percent of the population, clearly demonstrates that the economic strategies of the Tinubu-led APC administration have plunged more Nigerians into severe poverty, contradicting the government’s claims of progress.”
He emphasized, “The World Bank’s statistics tell a painful truth: under President Bola Tinubu and the APC, poverty has deepened more than at any previous time in Nigeria’s history. In 2019, four out of every ten Nigerians were impoverished; today, that number has risen to at least six out of ten.”
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Abdullahi also condemned President Tinubu’s Independence Day address, labeling it “a deliberate attempt to gloss over the severe human suffering gripping the nation.”
“Beneath the President’s optimistic statistics lie families skipping meals, children forced to abandon their education, and households compelled to sell possessions just to afford food and essential medicines,” he said. “Nearly 30 million Nigerians have now descended into extreme poverty-unable to secure enough calories for survival even if they spend every naira on food.”
The ADC spokesperson argued that the escalating poverty crisis demands more than superficial economic adjustments, urging the government to “focus on the welfare of the people rather than on empty rhetoric.”
“While the administration boasts of record revenue and a façade of economic stability, the World Bank’s data reveals a worsening reality: Nigerians are becoming poorer by the day,” Abdullahi continued. “Food prices have skyrocketed, with the cost of a bag of rice increasing fivefold in just four years. Low-income families now allocate approximately 70 percent of their earnings to food alone, leaving nothing for rent, education, or healthcare.”
He further highlighted the collapse of Nigeria’s social safety nets, noting that coverage has plummeted from 20 percent in 2019 to a mere six percent in 2025. Government expenditure on the most vulnerable citizens stands at only 0.14 percent of GDP, significantly below the global average of 1.5 percent.
“All these indicators point to a worsening situation under the APC and President Tinubu. Contrary to the President’s optimistic assertions, the worst is far from over; in fact, it may yet be approaching,” Abdullahi warned. “Instead of defending misleading narratives, the government should acknowledge the impartial findings of its partner, the World Bank, and take urgent corrective action.”
The ADC also accused the administration of manipulating Nigeria’s poverty threshold to downplay the extent of hardship.
“Nigeria’s official poverty line, set at approximately N137,000 per month (around $90), falls well below international standards. By relying on this deflated local benchmark, the government effectively underreports the true number of impoverished Nigerians,” the statement asserted.
In conclusion, the ADC called on the Tinubu administration to shift its priorities from “boasting about revenue increases” to “addressing food security, generating employment, and strengthening social protection for the 139 million Nigerians suffering under its flawed economic policies.”
“The era of denial must end,” Abdullahi declared. “The people are starving, and no amount of statistical distortion can conceal this reality any longer.”
