Africa-Press – Nigeria. The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has blamed the economic policies of the All Progressives Congress, APC-led government for worsening poverty across Nigeria.
He said the administration has pushed over 50 million more citizens into hardship within two years.
Obi, in a post on X on Tuesday, cited a recent World Bank report released on October 8, 2025, which revealed that about 139 million Nigerians now live in poverty—an increase from the 87 million recorded in 2023 when President Bola Tinubu assumed office.
He described the report as a “heartbreaking reflection” of how government policies have failed to improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
“What is even more concerning,” he said, “is that this devastating revelation has not led to an emergency national discussion on how to lift people out of poverty, but instead caused a rebuttal from the government, when the reality reflects the daily struggles of citizens.”
According to Obi, the World Bank report shows that despite several celebrated reforms, poverty levels continue to rise, worsening Nigeria’s position as the world’s most poverty-stricken nation.
He attributed the failure of these reforms to a lack of clear planning and poor implementation, saying true reforms must be people-focused and aimed at boosting production, supporting small businesses and farmers, investing in education and healthcare, and ensuring government spending directly impacts citizens.
“No nation can truly rise when the majority of its people are trapped in poverty,” Obi stated, adding that with the right leadership, Nigeria can still work for everyone.
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