Onanuga Says Hunger, Insecurity Narratives Exaggerated

Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has dismissed claims that Nigeria is experiencing the level of hunger and insecurity often portrayed by critics of the administration, insisting that ongoing reforms are beginning to yield results despite the hardships faced by citizens.

Speaking during an interview with broadcaster Charles Aniagolu of Arise TV, Onanuga said he does not see the extent of hunger being reported across the country, citing conversations with workers in his private employment as evidence that many Nigerians are adjusting to current economic realities.

“I have people working for me privately and I ask them questions about how they’re surviving and adjusting. This government has increased the minimum wage by more than 100 per cent,” Onanuga said.

The presidential aide also defended the administration’s handling of security challenges, pushing back against claims by opposition figures, including former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, that insecurity has worsened under President Tinubu.

According to Onanuga, the opposition and sections of the media are creating the impression that insecurity has overwhelmed the entire country.

“I recently travelled from Ebonyi to Enugu without security and it was safe. They’re creating the impression that there’s insecurity everywhere. The media is not helping as well. They report insecurity as if the whole country is consumed with insecurity. There are security breaches and no one is disputing that,” he said.

Responding to concerns over recurring kidnappings, attacks on communities, and the killing of military personnel, Onanuga acknowledged the existence of security challenges but argued that they do not reflect the overall security situation nationwide. He noted that many attacks occur at night and reiterated the government’s advice that citizens should avoid night travel.

On the economy, Onanuga rejected suggestions that government officials are insulated from the hardship facing ordinary Nigerians. He claimed that some ministers have been using personal funds to support the operations of their ministries.

Addressing criticism that President Tinubu appears distant from the struggles of ordinary Nigerians, Onanuga stated that the president is fully aware of the economic pain resulting from ongoing reforms and is working to alleviate the burden on citizens.

“There is nowhere in the world where reforms such as those we are implementing have been carried out without people going through certain pressures and pains. That is what we are currently facing. The President is acutely aware of this problem, and many of the policies he has been pursuing are directed toward reducing the pains that people are facing,” he stated.

In the power sector, Onanuga accused Peter Obi of misunderstanding the country’s electricity generation challenges. He argued that Nigeria possesses significant installed power capacity but is constrained by gas supply issues and legacy debts owed to gas companies.

“Power generation has increased. We are not at the level the president met it. We already have a stored capacity of 13,500 megawatts in Nigeria. The problem we are having is the gas supply. The players in the sector owe gas companies legacy debts of over N4 trillion, which has become the problem of this administration,” he said.