Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, on Saturday criticised President Bola Tinubu over recent comments comparing Nigeria’s fuel prices with those of other African countries, insisting that Nigerians are economically worse off despite paying less for petrol.
The chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) made his position known in a statement issued in Abuja by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
The response followed Tinubu’s remarks during a visit to Bayelsa State on Friday, where the President urged Nigerians to be grateful that petrol prices in the country remain lower than in countries like Kenya, even as he acknowledged the hardship caused by rising costs and promised relief measures for vulnerable citizens.
Reacting, Atiku said the comparison was misplaced and failed to reflect the economic realities faced by Nigerians.
He said, “It is both curious and troubling that the President would isolate fuel prices as a metric of economic comfort while ignoring the far more critical indicators of purchasing power, income levels, and cost of living.
“This selective reasoning betrays either a fundamental misunderstanding of economic realities or a deliberate attempt to deflect from policy failures.
“Yes, petrol prices in Nigeria may appear lower than in countries like Kenya or South Africa. But this comparison collapses instantly when placed against the backdrop of economic realities. Nigeria today is more expensive to live in than Kenya, with the average cost of living significantly higher, despite lower fuel prices.”
Atiku further pointed to declining earning power among Nigerians, contrasting it with income levels in Kenya.
“More alarming is the collapse in earning power. Kenya’s GDP per capita is nearly double that of Nigeria, and a minimum wage earner in Nairobi takes home the equivalent of about ₦170,000—more than twice Nigeria’s ₦70,000.
“In effect, while a Kenyan earns more and pays more, a Nigerian earns far less and is forced to survive under crushing economic pressure. This is the reality the President chose to ignore.”
The former Vice President also criticised Nigeria’s wage structure, saying it fails to reflect regional economic disparities.
He stressed that affordability goes beyond pricing, warning that current economic conditions have worsened living standards.
“The implication is clear: affordability is not defined by price alone, but by the relationship between income and expenditure. On this measure, Nigerians have never had it worse.”
“It is, therefore, deeply disappointing that at a time when citizens expect empathy, clarity, and decisive leadership, the President has chosen the path of statistical convenience.
“A government that relies on selective comparisons while its citizens grapple with rising poverty, inflation, and declining living standards risks appearing not only out of touch, but indifferent,” he stated.
The PUNCH