ADC knocks Tinubu govt for celebrating rebased GDP amid rising poverty
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has sharply criticised the Tinubu administration’s celebration of Nigeria’s recently rebased Gross Domestic Product (GDP), describing it as “economic cosmetics” masking the deepening hardship faced by ordinary Nigerians.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, accused the federal government of using the rebased GDP figures as a public relations tool rather than a reflection of real economic progress.
“Economic growth is not about dressed-up numbers that make the government look good,” Abdullahi said. “It means nothing if it leaves the majority behind and is not felt on the dining table or in the marketplace.”
The party argued that while officials are celebrating a higher GDP in naira terms—now reportedly at ₦373 trillion—the reality on the ground is starkly different. It noted that the nominal growth is largely driven by the sharp devaluation of the naira, which has eroded purchasing power and pushed millions further into poverty.
“The GDP rebasing may improve the debt-to-GDP ratio on paper, but it does not justify more borrowing or reflect real improvements in living conditions,” the statement read. “Nigerians cannot eat GDP.”
The ADC also criticised the government’s broader economic policies, describing them as shallow and headline-driven. It cited persistent inflation, crumbling infrastructure, low productivity in key sectors, and poor public services as evidence of a structurally weak economy.
“Nigeria’s GDP stood at $509 billion in 2014 after the last rebasing. It has now shrunk to $244 billion, dropping the country from Africa’s largest economy to fourth place. That is not progress—it’s a verdict on a lost decade,” Abdullahi said.
The party further warned that the administration may be using the rebased figures to justify additional borrowing, despite over 90% of government revenue already being used for debt servicing.
