In a scathing statement by National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party labeled the report as undeniable evidence of the government’s failure to address worsening living conditions.

The World Bank’s findings paint a grim picture, with poverty rates climbing from four out of ten Nigerians in 2019 to six out of ten in 2025. The ADC highlighted that nearly 30 million Nigerians have fallen into ultra-poverty, unable to afford basic food needs despite spending their entire income. 

Food inflation has skyrocketed, with a bag of rice now costing five times its price from four years ago, forcing poor households to allocate 70% of their income to food alone.Abdullahi criticized President Tinubu’s Independence Day claim that “the worst is over” as a “calculated whitewash,” arguing that it masks the reality of hunger, rising costs, and collapsing social safety nets. 

The ADC noted that social protection coverage has plummeted from 20% in 2019 to just 6% in 2025, with government support for the poorest citizens at a mere 0.14% of GDP—far below the global average of 1.5%. 

The party also accused the administration of manipulating poverty metrics by using a deflated local threshold, effectively undercounting millions of impoverished Nigerians. 

“A poverty line set too low does not protect the poor; it hides them,” Abdullahi stated.The ADC urged the government to embrace the World Bank’s findings and prioritize people-centered policies focused on food security, job creation, and robust social protection programs. 

“Nigeria needs more than cosmetic reforms—it demands a strategy for inclusive growth, not just revenue boasts,” the statement concluded. 

As economic challenges mount, the party’s critique amplifies calls for urgent action to alleviate the suffering of millions and bridge the gap between government rhetoric and citizens’ realities.