The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has defended the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu, saying he does not personally observe the level of hunger frequently highlighted in public discussions.
Speaking on Arise Television on Tuesday, Onanuga maintained that several government programmes and infrastructure projects are already having positive impacts on the lives of Nigerians.
He cited improvements in road infrastructure as one of the visible achievements of the administration, recalling a recent trip from Ibadan to Lagos during which he diverted through Ijebu-Ode and Sagamu after receiving a traffic alert from Google Maps.
According to him, he was impressed by the condition of the road and noted that residents of the area appeared satisfied with the development, which he described as a modern concrete road.
Onanuga also pointed to the ongoing coastal highway project, saying it has significantly reduced travel time for commuters, including himself.
The presidential aide, who resides in Ajah, said his journey time from Lagos had dropped considerably due to the new road infrastructure, questioning criticisms that government policies have not benefited ordinary citizens.
He further highlighted the Federal Government’s student loan scheme and access to low-interest credit facilities for civil servants as initiatives designed to ease financial burdens on Nigerians.
According to him, parents whose children access the interest-free student loans and workers who benefit from single-digit interest loans are already enjoying the gains of government interventions.
Onanuga argued that public conversations about the economy often overlook some of the positive outcomes of the administration’s policies.
He also recalled a viral video recorded during the early days of the Tinubu administration in which a voice-over repeatedly complained about hunger, noting that the narrative had gained traction since then.
While acknowledging that Nigerians face economic challenges, Onanuga maintained that his personal interactions with people around him do not reflect the level of hardship often portrayed in public discourse.
He said he regularly engages with people working around him and often asks how they are coping with the current economic situation.
He said, “One day, I was traveling from Ibadan to Lagos, and Google Maps told me that there’s a go-slow in the approach to Lagos, and I decided to take Ijebu-Ode via Shagamu.
“What struck me most was that I just found myself on a paved road, concrete road. I said, ‘Wow, when was this one built?
“I found that our people, I mean, our Ijebu people, have stopped complaining. I said, ‘Oh, no wonder they now have a brand new road that’s not just an asphalt road, a concrete road,
“I live in Ajah. Anytime I go to Lagos, and I ask Google Maps to tell me how soon I will get home, Google Maps will tell me one hour, seven minutes. Before, it was two hours, 30 minutes, and the reason for that is that we now have a coastal road that has shortened my travel time,
“Is that not beneficial? What are people talking about really?
“If you are a parent and you have four children in university, and they’re able to access federal loan, which is interest free, are they not benefiting?
“If you are a civil servant and you can access the credit card, very cheap loan at below interest, it is about seven per cent. Now people can access that loan at single digit. Are they not benefiting as well?
“We have been pigeonholed into certain assumptions, certain conclusions,
“I think the President went to Lagos, he was coming from the Central Mosque, and somebody now did a voice-over saying ‘Ebi n pawa o,’ and that means we are hungry. Since then, people have been saying that.
“I’m 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, and I keep asking them questions: how are things, how are they adjusting, what are the problems?”
