A recent assertion by Presidential Spokesman Bayo Onanuga, downplaying reports of widespread hunger in Nigeria, has drawn sharp criticism from Engr. Abdulauf Adamu, Director of Consultancy Services for Information and Communication Technology at Jigawa State Polytechnic, Kazaure. Adamu emphatically stated that Nigeria’s escalating food crisis is substantiated by verifiable evidence and not a matter of political conjecture.
Presidential Aide’s Stance on Hunger
During an appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme, Onanuga, who serves as Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, defended the administration’s economic reforms. He dismissed the notion of pervasive hunger, suggesting that such claims were based on early government assumptions. “I am a Nigerian; I have people working for me privately. I don’t see the level of hunger people are talking about because I see them (workers) and I keep asking them questions. How are things? How are they adjusting? What are the problems?” Onanuga remarked, implying a disconnect between public discourse and his personal observations.
Critique: Anecdote vs. National Reality
In an exclusive interview, Adamu robustly challenged Onanuga’s methodology, deeming it inappropriate to extrapolate the living conditions of over 220 million Nigerians from discussions with a small number of personal employees. Adamu described Onanuga’s assessment as “empirically indefensible,” arguing that drawing national conclusions from such limited interactions constitutes mere anecdote, not analytical insight.
He further highlighted the potential for employees to offer agreeable responses to their employer, fearing repercussions for their livelihoods. “His employees may simply be telling him what he wants to hear, knowing their jobs depend on his goodwill. A presidential spokesperson’s personal comfort is not a rebuttal to the World Food Programme, WFP,” Adamu asserted, stressing the need for objective, data-driven analysis over subjective comfort.
Evidence-Based Crisis: The Data Speaks
Adamu underscored that the grim reality of hunger and poverty in Nigeria is clearly reflected in readily available statistics, rather than individual experiences. He pointed to reports from international bodies like the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), which consistently identify Nigeria among nations grappling with intensifying food insecurity, placing millions of its citizens at risk of severe hunger.
Moreover, Adamu cited figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to paint a stark picture of economic hardship. He noted that food inflation soared to 16.96 per cent year-on-year in May 2026, driven by astronomical price increases across staple commodities such as onions, maize, yam, cassava, tomatoes, pepper, wheat, and plantain.
Cost of Living Soars Beyond Reach
Illustrating the practical impact of this inflation, Adamu provided concrete examples of surging food prices:
- A crate of eggs, which was significantly cheaper a few years ago, now fetches between ₦6,000 and ₦8,500.
- A bag of rice commands a price ranging from ₦70,000 to ₦100,000, a sum that is roughly equivalent to or even surpasses the national minimum wage, rendering it largely unaffordable for many households.
Adamu concluded by reiterating that addressing Nigeria’s profound hunger crisis demands a serious, evidence-based approach, transcending personal opinions and political narratives to confront the verifiable suffering of its populace.