The Presidency told the New York Times that Tinubu is not responsible for the current economic problems.
The Nigerian presidency recently stated that the current economic challenges faced by the country are a result of actions taken by the previous administration, rather than the current government.
In response to an article titled 'Nigeria Confronts Its Worst Economic Crisis in a Generation' published by the New York Times, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, expressed his disagreement. He described the article as biased and criticized the long-standing negative portrayal of African countries by foreign media.
The presidency clarified that President Tinubu inherited economic challenges, rather than creating them. They emphasized the need for urgent measures to address the ailing economy and prevent further deterioration similar to the situations in Zimbabwe and Venezuela.
The government's decision to abolish the fuel subsidy and unify exchange rates in May/June 2023 is linked to the previous economic challenges. The presidential aide highlighted the significant financial resources spent on fuel subsidies over the years, which could have been used to address infrastructure and social service needs in the country.