Nigeria is currently the poorest place on Earth to live, according to activist Omoyele Sowore. In a recent appearance on Arise News, the African Action Congress presidential candidate delivered a scathing assessment of life under the current administration.
Sowore minced no words. "When this government came into existence, the first thing they did was place a sledge hammer on the survival mode of Nigerians by removing subsidy and hiking tariffs, without increasing the wages and salaries of people to bear the high cost of living."
The remarks come amid dire economic indicators. Nigeria's poverty rate climbed to 63% in 2025, affecting around 140 million citizens, according to World Bank data. This rise followed the abrupt fuel subsidy removal announced by President Bola Tinubu on May 29, 2023.
Critics highlight the policy's immediate fallout. Fuel prices skyrocketed, driving inflation in transportation, food, and everyday goods. Electricity tariffs also surged, compounding household burdens. Yet minimum wage adjustments lagged far behind, leaving most Nigerians unable to cope.
Sowore questioned the promised benefits. He noted that savings from subsidy removal were supposed to fund infrastructure, security, and social services. Instead, ordinary citizens continue to suffer without visible relief. The activist has repeatedly challenged the government on this front, arguing the reforms deepened hardship rather than alleviating it.
Controversies surrounding the subsidy regime run deep. For years, the system was plagued by allegations of massive corruption, with billions allegedly siphoned by powerful interests. Tinubu himself had opposed removal in 2012, calling instead for tackling graft within the subsidy framework. His administration's later move without robust safeguards has fueled accusations of hypocrisy and poor planning.
Three years on, many question where the diverted funds have gone. Reports of persistent fiscal opacity, elite enrichment, and unfulfilled infrastructure promises continue to surface. Public frustration boils over on social media and in daily struggles, with citizens decrying a leadership seemingly detached from ground realities.
Sowore's critique taps into widespread discontent. He has consistently positioned himself as a voice against elite impunity, advocating for refinery repairs and targeted reforms over blanket removals that punish the vulnerable. His calls resonate as inequality widens and basic survival becomes a daily grind for millions.
The Tinubu government maintains the subsidy cut averted bankruptcy and freed resources for development. Yet with poverty rising sharply post-reform and no commensurate wage support, the human cost remains stark. Nigerians face higher living expenses, eroded purchasing power, and limited social safety nets.
As economic pressures mount, Sowore's blunt intervention underscores a growing demand for accountability. The sledgehammer approach, he argues, has hammered the masses hardest while sparing those at the top. Without genuine relief and transparency, public patience wears thin in a nation already grappling with profound.

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