Economy would’ve collapsed without Tinubu’s reforms, says Shettima
Vice President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria’s economy would have collapsed without President Bola Tinubu’s far-reaching decisions and tough reforms. Read More:…
Since taking office in May 2023, President Bola Tinubu has pursued a set of sweeping economic reforms, most notably the removal of the long-standing petrol subsidy and the unification of Nigeria's multiple exchange rates. These measures were pitched as necessary to stop the drain on government finances and attract foreign investment, but they have also triggered a sharp rise in fuel prices, inflation and the cost of living, drawing sustained criticism from labour unions, opposition politicians and ordinary Nigerians who argue the reforms have deepened hardship without commensurate relief.
Vice President Kashim Shettima's remarks form part of a broader effort by the administration to defend these policies as unavoidable, framing them as decisions that averted a looming economic collapse rather than choices that worsened hardship. Both Punch and Daily Trust report Shettima's core claim in similar terms, though Daily Trust adds his suggestion that some critics of the reforms would themselves have struggled to manage the situation differently. Neither outlet's excerpt details specific economic indicators, timelines, or direct responses from critics to back up or contest the claim, leaving the substance of the defence largely rhetorical for now.