Hunger, poverty, unemployment trail Tinubu’s 1st year – Report

President Bola Tinubu’s first year in office has thrown more Nigerians into hunger with many lacking basic amenities while unemployment keeps rising, the latest survey by the African Polling Institute (API) shows.

In its survey, API, an independent, non-profit, and non-partisan opinion research think-tank noted that an overwhelming majority of citizens (84%) express profound sadness with the current state of affairs in the country.

“Their voices, filled with dissatisfaction, are a clear call for action,” the report said.

The national survey which was administered between May 1st and 18th 2024 sought to elicit citizens’ opinions and assessments of President Tinubu’s first year in office and it revealed that a significant majority of citizens (81%) feel the country is headed in the wrong direction.

Some of the challenges Nigerians are presently contending with, according to the report are hunger, inability to meet basic needs, and rising insecurity among others.

“Hunger (36%), Inability to meet basic needs (28%), Unemployment (13%), Heightened Insecurity (9%), and Poor Electricity Supply (5%) are identified as the biggest challenges facing them personally today,” the report stated.

Also, a staggering 74% of citizens interviewed according to the report affirmed that their economic situation has deteriorated over the last year when compared to 20% who said their economic situation had remained the same and a mere 5% who said it had improved.

Measuring President Tinubu’s performance in the past year, the API report shows that 78% of citizens expressed that he had performed “abysmally”, with 49% rating him “Very Poor” and 29% “Poor.”

“This widespread dissatisfaction also extends to the performance of other arms of government, as a striking 81% of citizens rated Senate President Godswill Akpabio dismally, compared to 79% who rated Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives, poorly,” the report stated.

“Also, the Nigerian Judiciary under the CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, was not spared, as 75% of citizens also rated him poorly,” it added.

President Tinubu made bold market reforms immediately after he was sworn in. He ended the popular but costly fuel subsidy regime and devalued the naira twice within a year allowing the flotation of the local currency to revamp the economy.

But these reforms have stoked price pressures, sending inflation to over 30 per cent in April, its highest in nearly three decades while food inflation has equally risen to over 40 per cent.
These twin policies have led to a renewed cost-of-living crisis as prices of many essential commodities have surged by more than 100% within a year.

The report however raised concerns about growing discontent across the country, especially among the youth due to the deplorable state of the nation. It added that many of these dissatisfied youths are largely unemployed and are waiting for an opportunity to cause mayhem.

“API has keenly observed a growing mass of aggrieved and discontented citizens nationwide, especially among the youth.

“Many are unemployed or underemployed and have become local crusaders and social activists in their communities, waiting for the slightest opportunity to vent their anger against fellow citizens and the Nigerian state,” it said.