Dr. Tope Fasua, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Economic Affairs, has defended Nigeria’s progress since independence in 1960, insisting that citizens today enjoy a higher standard of living despite economic challenges.
During an interview on Channels Television, Fasua explained that the hardships often compared to the past overlook the historical reality of rural poverty and limited infrastructure that defined post-independence Nigeria.
“For those who try to compare Nigeria to 1960, in many ways we are living a better life now than used to be the case. In 1960, just after independence, we had a whole lot of people, of course, living in villages and so on,” Fasua said.
He noted that migration from rural villages to cities like Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna, and Enugu created widespread urban poverty in the decades following independence. Many who moved struggled to adjust to life in the cities.
Fasua emphasized that the Tinubu government is adopting long-term reforms rather than short-term relief strategies. According to him, President Tinubu’s approach is geared toward infrastructure, sustainable growth, and preparing future generations for a more prosperous Nigeria.
“The current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is saying that, look, we are not going to really be sharing money, we want to do something that takes us on a different trajectory, that paints a new picture, that prepares even our children and unborn children for a better life than what we have had,” he added.
At independence, Nigeria’s population was about 45 million, largely dependent on agriculture. Today, with over 230 million people, there have been notable expansions in healthcare, schools, electricity, and road networks, even as unemployment and inflation remain pressing concerns.
He criticized the 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Report by the National Bureau of Statistics, which suggested 133 million Nigerians were poor, describing it as outdated. Fasua claimed new investments in infrastructure had already reduced poverty levels.
“If we redid the multidimensional poverty today, perhaps 10 to 20 million people have been taken out of poverty due to these investments,” he stated.
Citing World Poverty Clock estimates, Fasua said reforms have lifted 5–6 million people out of poverty, and he predicted inflation, which recently dropped from 34 to 24 percent, will decline further.
He urged Nigerians to focus on collective national progress rather than individual economic perceptions.