The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to acknowledge the recent World Bank report highlighting a significant increase in poverty across Nigeria.
The party argued that the report clearly demonstrates how the administration’s economic policies have deteriorated the living conditions of millions of Nigerians.
In a statement released on Thursday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC pointed to the World Bank’s October 2025 report, which revealed that 139 million Nigerians now live below the poverty line—an alarming rise from 81 million in 2019—exposing the government’s economic failures and misplaced priorities.
“The World Bank’s report tells a painful truth under the APC and President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, more Nigerians have slipped into poverty than ever before.
“In 2019, four out of every ten Nigerians were poor; today, that number has risen to at least six out of ten,” the ADC said.
“Yet, during his Independence Day speech, President Tinubu claimed that the worst is over, quoting figures that now appear to be nothing more than carefully crafted propaganda to paint a false picture of progress.
“Behind those polished numbers lies the harsh reality of growing human suffering families going hungry, children leaving school, and households selling their few possessions just to afford food and medicine.”
According to the statement, under the APC government, about 30 million more Nigerians have fallen into extreme poverty, unable to afford enough food even if they spend all they earn on it.
“The government may boast of record revenues and stability, but the truth is Nigerians are getting poorer every day,” the ADC said.
“Food prices have skyrocketed, with a bag of rice now five times costlier than four years ago. Most poor families spend nearly all their income just to eat, while social safety nets have almost vanished.
“The World Bank’s data clearly shows that life has become harder under the APC and President Tinubu, and instead of denying this reality, the government should accept the facts and act before things get worse.”
The ADC said Nigeria’s social safety nets have collapsed, with coverage dropping from 20% in 2019 to just 6% in 2025, and government aid to the poorest citizens nearly non-existent.
It accused the APC government of masking the country’s deepening poverty through misleading statistics, noting that Nigeria’s poverty line is set far below global standards; a move that hides, rather than helps, the poor.
The party urged President Tinubu to accept the World Bank’s verdict and address the worsening hardship instead of redefining poverty to suit his administration’s narrative.
“What Nigeria needs now is not cosmetic reform but genuine leadership that puts people first,” the ADC stated.
“Inclusive growth must go beyond slogans. it should be a deliberate strategy. We call on the Tinubu-led APC government to stop mistaking revenue collection for progress and instead focus on food security, job creation, and strong social protection systems to support the millions pushed into vulnerability by its poor economic policies.”
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