Two Years of Tinubu’s Administration: Nigerians Say They’re Hungrier, More Impoverished

Two years after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn into office, many Nigerians say life has only gotten harder. From soaring food prices to a weakening naira, rising fuel costs, and high unemployment, citizens across the country are expressing deep frustration and disappointment with the state of the economy.

“We were promised renewed hope, but what we got is renewed hunger,” said Aisha Lawal, a market trader in Lagos. “I used to feed my family with N2,000 a day. Now, even N5,000 is not enough.”

President Tinubu, who came into power on May 29, 2023, launched several ambitious reforms under the “Renewed Hope” agenda. These included ending fuel subsidies, floating the naira, and restructuring key economic sectors. But instead of relief, many Nigerians say the policies have only worsened poverty and widened the gap between the rich and the poor.

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According to recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), food inflation reached 40.2% in April 2025, one of the highest in Africa. The price of staple foods like rice, garri, and bread has doubled in less than 12 months.

Transport fares have also skyrocketed due to the removal of fuel subsidies and the continued volatility of the naira, which now exchanges at over ₦1,400 per US dollar on the open market.

“Every day, we wake up poorer,” said Musa Ibrahim, a civil servant in Kaduna. “There’s no salary increase, yet everything is now expensive. We’re just surviving, not living.”

Joblessness among Nigerian youth has hit alarming levels. With few job opportunities, many young people have turned to street hawking, gambling, or migration.

Despite promises of job creation through digital tech hubs and small business support, most programs have failed to reach the grassroots.

“They talk about digital jobs, but I don’t even have a laptop,” said 23-year-old Emeka Uzo, a graduate of political science still searching for work three years after graduation.

Across social media, the hashtags #TwoYearsOfHunger and #TinubuFailedUs have been trending, as citizens express their anger and sense of betrayal.

Opposition figures, civil society groups, and even some members of the ruling APC have admitted that the government is underperforming.

“We cannot sugarcoat failure,” said a former APC state chairman who asked to remain anonymous. “We need to listen to the people or risk a total collapse of trust.”

Despite the backlash, the Tinubu administration insists the pain is temporary and part of a necessary economic reset. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga stated that “reforms take time, and the benefits will be felt in the long run.”

The presidency also pointed to ongoing road construction, power projects, and agricultural investments as signs of progress.

With two years remaining in his term, the pressure on President Tinubu is growing. Citizens want more than speeches they want relief. Whether this administration can turn things around remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: millions of Nigerians are struggling harder than ever before.

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