Why Nigerians shouldn’t expect Okonjo-Iweala to criticize Tinubu’s handling of the economy — Reuben Abati

Veteran journalist and former presidential aide Dr. Reuben Abati says Nigerians should not have expect Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to make any critical remarks about President Bola Tinubu’s handling of the economy.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Friday morning, August 15, Abati explained that as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and an international diplomat, Okonjo-Iweala would not openly challenge the Nigerian president.

According to him, her comments — praising Tinubu’s reforms as moving in the right direction while calling for growth and social safety nets — simply echoed the positions of the IMF and World Bank.

“Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is an international diplomat. No one should expect her to go to the president of Nigeria and tell him anything otherwise,” Abati said. “What she said is not original; she echoed the IMF and World Bank, who also stressed the need for social safety nets.”

Abati noted that Okonjo-Iweala’s primary visit to Nigeria was to launch a $50 million fund aimed at empowering Nigerian women in the digital space — a mission he described as important. However, he emphasized that her broader economic remarks align with multilateral institutions’ usual diplomatic tone.

The former presidential spokesman argued that while the government highlights stability and regular payments, the real challenge is driving productivity and achieving higher growth.

“I’ve consistently said there is not enough productivity, and we are still a monocultural economy, with the bulk of our revenue coming from oil,” Abati stated. “Three to four percent growth is not enough — we need double-digit growth.”

He added that subsidy removal and increased revenue may address short-term issues, but deeper structural problems remain. “An international diplomat will not stand in front of President Tinubu and spell out those fundamental problems,” he said.
 

Abati concluded that beyond economic statistics, the government must focus on the reality ordinary Nigerians face. “We want a country where everybody is prosperous and safe. People are groaning under hardship. The social safety net that Okonjo-Iweala, the IMF, and the World Bank all talk about is essential.”
 

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