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Nigerian President Bola Tinubu‘s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has said he does not see “the level of hunger people are talking about” in the country.
Onanuga made the remarks during an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, where he defended Tinubu’s economic policies and argued that the administration’s programmes and infrastructure projects are already improving Nigerians’ lives.
He praised the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, saying it has significantly reduced travel time for many commuters.
“I live in Ajah. Anytime I go to Lagos and ask Google Maps to tell me how soon I will get home, it tells me one hour, seven minutes. Before, it was two hours, 30 minutes, and the reason for that is that we now have a coastal road that has shortened my travel time,” he said.
Onanuga also said the student loan scheme introduced by the Tinubu administration has helped ease financial pressures on many Nigerians.
According to him, public conversations about the economy often overlook some of the gains recorded by the government.
“We have been pigeonholed into certain assumptions, certain conclusions,” he said.
The presidential aide recalled a viral video from the early days of the Tinubu administration, which featured a voice-over suggesting widespread hunger among Nigerians.
“I think the President went to Lagos. He was coming from the Central Mosque, and somebody now did a voice-over saying, ‘Ebi n pawa o,’ and that means we are hungry. Since then, people have been saying that,” he said.
Onanuga added that his personal interactions with people around him do not reflect the level of hardship frequently portrayed in public discussions.
“I’m a Nigerian. I have people working for me privately. I don’t see the level of hunger people are talking about because I see them, and I keep asking them questions: how are things, how are they adjusting, what are the problems?” he said.
