Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has pushed back against claims by President Bola Tinubu that Nigeria’s economy compares favourably with that of Kenya.
Earlier, Tinubu had pointed to Nigeria’s relatively cheaper fuel prices compared to Kenya and other African nations as evidence of economic advantage.
In response, Atiku, through his media aide Phrank Shaibu, argued that such a comparison is overly simplistic and fails to reflect the harsh economic realities faced by Nigerians. He maintained that focusing solely on fuel prices ignores key indicators like purchasing power, income levels, and overall cost of living.
According to him, when these broader factors are considered, Nigeria is actually more expensive to live in than Kenya, despite having lower petrol prices.
Atiku stressed that while fuel may be cheaper in Nigeria, the benefit is eroded by weak earning power and high living costs. He added that Kenya’s economic indicators present a stronger picture, noting that the country’s GDP per capita is significantly higher.
He further highlighted the disparity in wages, stating that Kenya’s minimum wage is about twice Nigeria’s ₦70,000, with workers in Nairobi reportedly earning the equivalent of around ₦170,000 monthly.
The former vice president concluded that using fuel prices alone as a measure of economic wellbeing misrepresents the true state of living conditions in Nigeria.
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