Tinubu Land In Trouble For Comparing Fuel Prices In Nigeria With African Countries
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of presenting an incomplete picture of Nigeria’s economic realities, after comparing fuel peices in Nigeria with Kenya and other African countries.
In a statement issued in Abuja by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that recent comparisons of Nigeria’s petrol prices with those of other African countries fail to capture the deeper crisis of declining purchasing power among Nigerians.
The statement comes in response to President Tinubu’s remarks during a visit to Bayelsa State on Friday, where he urged Nigerians to be “grateful” that petrol prices remain lower than in countries such as Kenya, while also acknowledging economic hardship and promising relief for vulnerable groups.
Atiku, however, rejected the comparison as insufficient and potentially misleading.
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.”
He further underscored what he described as a worsening income gap between Nigerians and their regional counterparts.
“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.”
Atiku also faulted the country’s wage structure, insisting it does not reflect prevailing economic conditions across regions.
“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.”
He added that focusing on headline fuel prices without addressing income realities risks deepening public frustration and widening the disconnect between policy messaging and everyday experience.
“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.
