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The African Democratic Congress has faulted the Federal Government’s celebration of Nigeria’s reported Gross Domestic Product growth, insisting that the figures do not reflect the harsh economic realities confronting ordinary Nigerians.
In a statement released on Wednesday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC accused the government of trying to “use headline GDP figures to whitewash the deep economic suffering Nigerians are currently enduring across the country. ” The party argued that soaring food prices, persistent inflation, declining purchasing power, rising unemployment, and the collapse of small businesses indicate that citizens are yet to benefit from the reported economic growth.
“People do not eat GDP,” the party stated, stressing that economic growth only becomes meaningful when it improves living standards, creates employment opportunities, and eases hardship. The ADC further said, “Economic growth that does not reduce suffering, create jobs, improve incomes, or restore dignity to citizens is empty growth. Growth that only exists in official reports while citizens descend deeper into hardship is not meaningful progress.
” According to the opposition party, the government appears more focused on economic statistics than the day-to-day struggles of Nigerians in markets, farms, factories, and homes.
“Food prices are unbearable. Transportation costs have become punitive. Small businesses are shutting down daily under the crushing weight of inflation, energy costs, and weak consumer demand. Salaries have lost value.
Families who once lived modestly are now struggling to survive,” the statement added. The ADC also questioned the basis for celebrating economic growth amid worsening living conditions.
“What exactly should Nigerians celebrate? The fact that food inflation continues to devastate households? That millions of young Nigerians remain unemployed or underemployed? That businesses are collapsing faster than new ones are emerging?
” the party asked. The criticism followed a report by Quartus Economics which stated that Nigeria’s dollar GDP rose by 22 per cent to approximately $307 billion in 2025, driven by stronger economic output and appreciation of the naira. According to the report, Nigeria’s GDP increased from about $252 billion in 2024 to $307.5 billion in 2025, while nominal GDP rose from N372.8 trillion to N441.5 trillion within the same period.
The report also noted that Nigeria outperformed the Sub-Saharan African average and recorded stronger growth than several major African economies, including South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Angola, with only Ghana posting higher growth figures. However, the ADC maintained that macroeconomic indicators alone cannot determine the wellbeing of citizens.
“The purpose of governance is not to manage public relations for economic statistics. The purpose of governance is to improve the living conditions of the people,” the party said. The party insisted that until economic growth translates into “affordable food, stable electricity, decent jobs, lower business costs, and improved purchasing power,” the government cannot claim genuine economic success.
The statement comes amid ongoing debates over the impact of the Federal Government’s economic reforms, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange adjustments, which officials say are necessary for long-term recovery but which have also contributed to rising living costs nationwide.
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