Veteran journalist and former presidential aide, Dr. Reuben Abati, has reacted sharply to comments made by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, after she told President Bola Tinubu that Nigeria’s economy is “bouncing back.” Abati made it clear that Nigerians shouldn’t expect the World Trade Organization boss to walk into Aso Rock and give Tinubu the bitter truth.
Speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show, Abati explained that Okonjo-Iweala is an international diplomat, and diplomats rarely embarrass sitting presidents in public. According to him, she simply echoed what the IMF and World Bank have already been saying — that the reforms are good, but Nigeria still needs stronger growth and social safety nets to protect citizens.
Abati stressed that while government officials may boast about stable budgets and reforms, the reality on the streets is different. Ordinary Nigerians are still grappling with high costs, low productivity, and an economy heavily dependent on oil. “3% growth is not enough,” he said, calling for new ideas that can push the country towards double-digit growth.
He added that Okonjo-Iweala’s main mission in Nigeria was to launch a $50 million fund to help women enter the digital space — a laudable initiative — but that doesn’t erase the fact that many Nigerians are struggling to survive under the same reforms being praised. “We are not relying on statistics,” Abati concluded. “We are relying on reality — and the reality is that people are suffering.”
