Former Vice President and presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has reacted strongly to a recent warning by the United Nations that nearly 35 million Nigerians could face acute hunger between June and August 2026, describing the projection as evidence of worsening hardship across the country.
In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku blamed the situation on what he described as poor economic management under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to Atiku, the UN projection reflects the growing economic hardship confronting millions of Nigerians due to rising living costs and declining purchasing power.
He said the warning should be treated as a serious concern, stressing that it highlights the increasing vulnerability of households across different parts of the country.
The former vice president argued that the nation’s economic difficulties have moved beyond ordinary hardship and now show signs of a broader humanitarian crisis affecting food access and survival for many citizens.
Atiku attributed the worsening conditions largely to economic policies introduced by the current administration since assuming office, particularly criticising the removal of fuel subsidy.
He argued that the policy was implemented without adequate social support measures to cushion its impact on ordinary Nigerians.
According to him, the increase in fuel prices triggered higher transportation costs, increased prices of goods and services, and worsened the cost of living nationwide.
He also criticised the government’s handling of foreign exchange policies, saying instability in the exchange rate system contributed to the depreciation of the naira, increased import costs, and weakened manufacturing activities.
Atiku maintained that many businesses, especially small enterprises and local manufacturers, are struggling to survive amid inflation and reduced consumer purchasing power.
Speaking on food inflation, he lamented that staple food items once affordable for average households have become increasingly expensive.
He noted that products such as rice, beans, garri, yam, and bread have recorded major price increases in recent years, placing additional pressure on low-income earners and vulnerable communities.
“The chaotic mishandling of exchange rate policy sent the naira into a punishing tailspin, wiping out purchasing power, inflating import costs, crippling manufacturers, and suffocating small businesses,” Atiku said.
“Food inflation has become savage. Staple items that once sustained ordinary households are now priced beyond reach. Rice, garri, beans, yam, bread the basic pillars of survival have become symbols of economic exclusion.”
