Nigerians kicking President Bola Tinubu for not doing enough to save the country from the doldrums since he assumed office have been described as being “just blind”. Mr Tinubu’s appointee, education minister Tunji Alausa, claimed that the president is working miracles and that only “blind” citizens could not see how the president is changing the economic and infrastructural landscape of the country.

In an interview with Channels TV on Tuesday, Mr Alausa, when asked if claims about improved economy and security in the country are more theoretical than real, said, “People are just blind. Let’s get out of this political rhetoric. Let’s face the fact — we’re seeing it: the country is much better, safer. There is increased prosperity in the country.

“The country is much better. It’s safer. There’s increased prosperity in the country, our microeconomic indicators are much better,” Mr Alausa said.

The minister praised the removal of the fuel subsidy and the unification of the exchange rate. Mr Alausa explained that investors are flocking to the country as Mr Tinubu continues to use his political will to attract them.

“This president literally saved this country from bankruptcy. Things have changed dramatically in this country. But people, the naysayers, will never see it,” Mr Alausa pointed out. “Guess what? The country is getting better day by day. Things are better.”

Mr Alausa’s statement that Nigeria is better and safer comes months after murderous herdsmen raided Yelewata in Guma local government area, killing hundreds. 

Similarly, bandits have continued to raid communities in Zamfara, Sokoto, and Plateau, informing Amnesty International’s criticisms of Mr Tinubu’s government for failing in its primary duty.

Since Mr Tinubu assumed office, removing fuel subsidy and enforcing exchange rate unification, Nigerians have witnessed unprecedented inflation and a cost-of-living crisis.

With the pump price jumping from N145 to about N900, while the naira collapsed to N1500 to a dollar, inflation now stands at 23.7 per cent, a drop from 34 per cent after the economy was rebased.

Under Mr Tinubu, Nigeria recorded the largest increase in acute food insecurity globally in 2024, according to the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises published by the Global Network Against Food Crises in collaboration with the Food Security Information Network and UNICEF.

Though hailing Mr Tinubu’s dual policies as bold moves, the International Monetary Fund reported that poverty and food insecurity remained high, while the World Bank’s Africa Pulse report of April 2025 also stated that the country has the highest number of extremely poor people globally, warning that more Nigerians will be plunged into poverty by 2027.