Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has countered President Bola Tinubu’s claim that Nigeria is economically better than Kenya.
Naija News reports that Tinubu had earlier stated that fuel prices in Nigeria are lower than in Kenya and other African countries.
However, speaking through a statement by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said Nigeria is now more expensive to live in than Kenya.
He argued that the comparison is ‘shallow’ and not only misleading but a grave distortion of the lived reality of Nigerians.
He wondered why the President would isolate fuel prices as a metric of economic comfort while ignoring the far more critical indicators of purchasing power, income levels, and cost of living.
According to him, when compared with the average living cost, Nigeria is more expensive than Kenya, despite the cheaper fuel pump price.
“Yes, petrol prices in Nigeria may appear lower than in countries like Kenya or South Africa. But this comparison collapses instantly when placed against the backdrop of economic realities.
“Nigeria today is more expensive to live in than Kenya, with the average cost of living significantly higher, despite lower fuel prices,” he said.
Atiku added that Kenya’s minimum wage is twice Nigeria’s ₦70,000.
“More alarming is the collapse in earning power. Kenya’s GDP per capita is nearly double that of Nigeria, and a minimum wage earner in Nairobi takes home the equivalent of about ₦170,000, more than twice Nigeria’s ₦70,000,” he added.
