The Nigerian Presidency has officially refuted reports suggesting that the country is grappling with widespread hunger. Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, maintained that many citizens are actively experiencing the advantages of President Bola Tinubu’s current administration.
Speaking on the Arise Television Prime Time program, Onanuga attributed the current narrative of severe hardship to exaggeration. He pointed to tangible government efforts, such as the construction of high-quality concrete roads—including a notable route between Ibadan and Lagos—as evidence of infrastructure progress. Furthermore, he highlighted that government-backed credit facilities now offer civil servants loans at interest rates in the single digits.
Onanuga also defended the administration’s economic record by citing the recent increase in the national minimum wage, which has been raised by over 100 percent. He suggested that the perception of hunger is partly driven by viral social media content, specifically referencing a video from the start of the administration featuring the Yoruba phrase for hunger, which he claims fueled public sentiment. Onanuga concluded that his own personal interactions with staff and citizens do not align with the narrative of desperate, widespread food insecurity.
