A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ladan Salihu, has lamented that multidimensional poverty in Nigeria has worsened under the present administration.
Salihu made the assertion on Tuesday during an interview where he stated that Nigeria’s multidimensional poverty rate stood at 43% in 2014, rose significantly by 2019, and further deteriorated by 2025.
According to him, the statistics were not fabricated, noting that they were published by the World Bank and Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics.
The ADC chieftain also criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government, arguing that its economic reforms have been excessively harsh and have negatively affected the quality of life and livelihoods of Nigerians.
Salihu said he anticipated political deflections during the programme but insisted that the facts reflected systemic failures under the current administration.
He disclosed that as of 2022, about 87 million Nigerians in the northern region and 47 million in the southern region were living in multidimensional poverty, bringing the total to 141 million nationwide.
He faulted the government for what he described as a lack of sincerity in addressing the country’s economic challenges, stressing that a responsible government should confront such issues directly.
Salihu further argued that the removal of fuel subsidy without adequate cushioning measures had worsened economic hardship, contrasting the situation with interventions introduced during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He cited initiatives such as the Education Trust Fund (ETF) and the Mass Transit Programme as examples of policies that helped reduce citizens’ burden.
According to him, transport costs have risen sharply following the subsidy removal, noting that while a trip from Abuja to Kano cost about ₦1,500 in 2014 and 2015, fares now range between ₦13,000 and ₦15,000.