ADC Faults FG’s GDP Celebrations, Says Nigerians Still Suffering

The African Democratic Congress has criticised the Federal Government for celebrating Nigeria’s recent Gross Domestic Product growth, arguing that the economic figures do not reflect the hardship facing ordinary citizens.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, accused the government of using headline GDP figures to whitewash the deep economic suffering Nigerians are enduring across the country.

The opposition party pointed to rising food prices, inflation, weak purchasing power, unemployment, and the collapse of small businesses as evidence that many citizens have yet to feel the impact of the reported economic growth.

“People do not eat GDP,” the ADC stated, insisting that economic growth is only meaningful when it improves living conditions, creates jobs, and reduces hardship.

The party described growth that exists only in official reports while citizens descend deeper into hardship as empty progress. It accused the government of focusing on economic statistics rather than the daily realities confronting Nigerians in markets, farms, factories, and homes.

The ADC noted that food prices have become unbearable, transportation costs punitive, and small businesses are shutting down daily under the weight of inflation, energy costs, and weak consumer demand. The party added that salaries have lost value and families who once lived modestly are now struggling to survive.

The criticism followed a report showing that Nigeria’s dollar GDP rose by 22 per cent to about $307 billion in 2025, driven by stronger economic output and an appreciation of the naira. The country’s performance surpassed the Sub-Saharan African average and outpaced several major African economies, including South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Angola.

However, the ADC argued that macroeconomic indicators alone cannot measure the wellbeing of citizens. The party maintained that the purpose of governance is not to manage public relations for economic statistics but to improve the living conditions of the people.

Until growth translates into affordable food, stable electricity, decent jobs, lower business costs, and improved purchasing power, the ADC said the government has no basis to declare economic success.

The statement comes amid continued debate over the impact of the Federal Government’s economic reforms, including subsidy removal and exchange rate adjustments, which officials say are necessary for long-term recovery but have also triggered sharp increases in living costs across the country.