ABUJA — The Nigerian Presidency and advocates of the administration have issued a formal response to a recent publication by The Economist, dismissing its report on public sentiment toward President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as an unsubstantiated assessment that ignores a rapidly improving national picture.
In a statement titled Condescension Is Not Analysis, Renewed Hope Advocate Prince Ade Omole argued that the international magazine delivered a verdict without adequate national evidence, noting that even the independent polling data cited in the original report reflects a dramatic upward surge in the President’s favorability ratings over recent months as reform measures begin to yield results.
On national security, the administration pushed back against claims of an escalating crisis, highlighting substantial joint operations conducted alongside international partners, including the United States, which have resulted in hundreds of terrorists being neutralized and over a thousand kidnapped civilians rescued in recent months. The statement also pointed to areas like Borno State, where stabilizing security conditions have led to falling food prices and localized price deflation.
Addressing the broader national economy, the response criticized the foreign publication for reporting current hardship without acknowledging the clear trajectory of recovery. Economic indicators show headline and food inflation cooling significantly compared to the previous year, while second-quarter national growth hit its fastest pace in half a decade. External reserves have surged to their highest levels in nearly two decades, and annual federal tax revenue has more than doubled. International institutions, including Moody’s, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank, have all recognized these structural adjustments for enhancing fiscal stability, market liquidity, and long-term resilience.
The statement concluded that present economic sacrifice represents a stabilization phase necessary to build lasting foundation for future job creation, cheaper food, and improved public services. Rejecting assertions that political support relies on ethnic loyalty or patronage, the administration maintained that voters recognize the positive direction of travel and remain increasingly confident in the ability of the Renewed Hope agenda to rebuild the nation ahead of the next general election.
