The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has urged the Federal Government to distinguish between genuine public concerns over economic hardship and political attacks on President Bola Tinubu, warning that intolerance of criticism could undermine efforts to address the country’s challenges.
Sanusi made the appeal while speaking virtually at the Oxford Global Think Tank Leadership Conference on Tuesday, where he argued that Nigerians expressing concerns about poverty and rising living difficulties should not automatically be regarded as opponents of the administration, Northern Nigeria Hub reported.
“It’s not every time people talk about poverty or talk about difficulty that they’re just enemies of the government or making an attack on the president. That is not how to respond to economic distress,” he said.
He maintained that economic reforms must be accompanied by wider fiscal discipline, noting that Nigeria could not achieve meaningful financial stability without controlling public expenditure and addressing the growing burden of debt servicing.
Citing World Bank figures, the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor said debt servicing consumed 124 per cent of the Federal Government’s revenue in the first half of the year, raising concerns about the country’s ability to sustain its borrowing obligations.
Sanusi acknowledged improvements in economic indicators under Tinubu, including GDP growth, inflation and foreign reserves. He said economic growth had increased from an average of 0.9 per cent under the previous administration to 4.5 per cent, while inflation had declined from above 30 per cent to 14.5 per cent. He also put the country’s foreign reserves at $55 billion.
However, he cautioned that improvements in macroeconomic figures should not overshadow persistent difficulties confronting ordinary Nigerians, particularly in poverty, hunger, healthcare, education, malnutrition and maternal mortality.
The monarch further called for a broader reform agenda beyond fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate liberalisation, urging the government to establish clear spending priorities across critical sectors such as electricity, agriculture, roads and technology.
He stressed that government resources were limited and that excessive spending in one sector could reduce funding available for other essential areas.
Sanusi also criticised the absence of adequate social protection measures at the outset of the reforms, arguing that vulnerable Nigerians should have been protected against the immediate effects of the economic adjustments.
