16/10/2025
The World Bank has expressed concern that despite Nigeria’s recent economic stabilisation efforts, about 139 million citizens are now living in poverty, a sharp increase from the 87 million reported in 2023 when President Bola Tinubu assumed office.
They warned that the country risks losing reform gains if they fail to translate into tangible improvements in people’s welfare.
Former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, has slammed the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu government, saying their policies had pushed over 50 million Nigerians into poverty in just two years, with 139 million citizens now living below the poverty line.
In a post on X , Obi cited a recent World Bank report released on October 8, 2025, which he said showed that about 139 million Nigerians were living in poverty, a sharp increase from the 87 million reported in 2023 when President Bola Tinubu assumed office.
In the post titled, “APC Government Policies and style have impoverished Several million Nigerians in Just Two Years”, Obi described the figure as “a heartbreaking reflection of how deeply our nation is failing its citizens,” adding that the situation should have triggered urgent national action rather than government rebuttals.
“What is even more concerning is that this devastating revelation has not led to an emergency and national discussion on how to effectively pull millions of our people out of poverty, but instead caused a rebuttal from the government, when the news already reflects the daily struggles of the ordinary Nigerian,” he said.
The former governor said the worsening economic reality contradicted government’s claims of progress through reforms, arguing that the policies lacked direction and a people-centred focus.
Obi urged the government to adopt deliberate, people-oriented reforms that prioritise production over consumption, support small businesses and farmers, and invest in education and healthcare.
“No nation can truly rise when the majority of its people are trapped in poverty. With the right leadership, we can make Nigeria work for every Nigerian,” Obi concluded.
