Prominent human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has condemned the economic policies implemented by President Bola Tinubu, accusing the administration of enforcing “harsh neoliberal policies” that have led to the erosion of Nigeria’s middle class and heightened poverty levels across the country.
Falana, speaking on Monday as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, expressed concern that the government’s policies are intensifying the struggles of ordinary Nigerians despite the President’s recent admission of the growing hardship nationwide.
“I have seen the President ask APC governors to ‘wet the ground’ more, but as far as the masses of our people are concerned, things are getting tougher by the day because of the harsh economic crisis in the country, which the president recognise that Nigerians all over the country are complaining that things are getting tougher for them.
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“Because of the religious implementation of neoliberal policies by the government, poverty is on the ascendancy. That will require a review of these policies,” he said.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) faulted the government’s pursuit of privatisation, describing it as inconsistent with genuine attempts to reduce the wide gap between the rich and poor.
He argued that the continuous transfer of public assets to a few privileged individuals contradicts efforts to promote social equity, especially in a country already grappling with economic inequality.
“You cannot be addressing income inequality in a country while handing over the nation’s resources to a few people in the name of privatisation.
“Most Nigerians cannot afford three square meals a day. The middle class has been wiped out by the neoliberal policies of the government.
“The government must go back to the drawing board and review each of these policies, especially those pushed by the IMF and World Bank, in the interest of Nigerians. It is in the interest of the government to review its policies as soon as possible,” he stated.
Since President Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, his administration has introduced several broad economic reforms, including the deregulation of fuel prices and unification of exchange rates.
While designed to bring long-term macroeconomic stability, these reforms have triggered a wave of inflation and economic hardship, with soaring prices of fuel, food, and transport straining household incomes.
In particular, the fuel subsidy removal led to a sharp spike in petrol prices, sparking a domino effect across various sectors and exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis.
Many Nigerians have since faced increased difficulty meeting basic needs.Falana emphasised the importance of prioritising social protection schemes, urging the government to provide legislative support for welfare initiatives that can cushion the impact of economic distress.
“To eradicate poverty, we must begin by implementing welfare laws,” he said, referencing the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), which became a statutory programme under the Social Investment Programme Agency Act in 2023.
The NSIP comprises various components, including N-Power for youth engagement, conditional cash transfers to disadvantaged households, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), and a national school feeding initiative.
Falana encouraged the Tinubu-led federal government to coordinate with state authorities to legally embed these initiatives across the country.
“President Tinubu should be able to persuade the governors to codify social investment programmes and enact them into law,” he said.
