Former presidential aide and Ambassador-Designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has defended the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, arguing that Nigeria is in a better economic position today than it was when the President assumed office in 2023.
In a statement released on Sunday, Omokri cited a number of economic indicators and government programmes, which he said demonstrate improvements in the country’s economy and the welfare of Nigerians.
According to him, Nigeria’s inflation rate, which stood at 23 per cent before President Tinubu took office, has dropped to 15.9 per cent. He also noted that the national minimum wage has increased from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000 under the current administration.
Omokri further stated that allocations shared monthly by the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) to states and local governments have risen significantly.
“Before President Tinubu, FAAC shared an average of ₦700 billion monthly to states and local governments. Today, the figure is estimated at ₦2.1 trillion monthly,” he said.
He argued that the increase in allocations has improved the financial position of sub-national governments, noting that while many states reportedly struggled to pay salaries in 2022, all states are now able to meet their wage obligations.
The ambassador-designate also highlighted Nigeria’s foreign reserves, which he said have risen to $51.04 billion, describing it as the highest level recorded in 17 years.
On education, Omokri praised the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), stating that about one-third of Nigeria’s 3.1 million university undergraduates have benefited from the student loan scheme introduced by the Tinubu administration.
He also pointed to the relative stability in the university system, noting that the last three years have witnessed no nationwide strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
“In this administration, a four-year course remains a four-year course,” he said.
Omokri further commended the government’s infrastructure drive, citing major road projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Illela-Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, and the Trans-Saharan Road as evidence of efforts to improve connectivity across the country.
He also claimed that Nigeria has moved from being Africa’s largest importer of refined petroleum products in 2022 to becoming the largest exporter of refined petroleum products in West Africa.
According to him, the country’s economy has recorded twelve consecutive quarters of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and trade surpluses, contributing to increased manufacturing capacity.
Omokri urged Nigerians to assess the country’s progress based on available economic data and developments.
“I appeal to Nigerians to put things in their proper perspective and refuse to allow uninformed elements to confuse them. Nigeria is definitely better today than it was in 2023,” he stated.
The remarks come amid continuing public debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms and their effects on the cost of living and overall economic wellbeing of Nigerians.
