Despite staggering inflation and high pump prices, Dada Olusegun, presidential media aide, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu’s reforms are beginning to make life easier for Nigerians.

“Reforms at the top are starting to make life easier with cheaper fuel, lower inflation, and real benefits for everyday Nigerians,” Mr Olusegun claimed.

In a statement circulated on X on Friday, Mr Olusegun attributed the improvement in the lives of Nigerians to Mr Tinubu’s shake-up in “Nigeria’s oil and gas industry with three major Executive Orders, cutting delays, bringing back big investors, and setting the stage for cheaper fuel and lower food prices.”

According to Mr Olusegun, the Tinubu-led reforms have led to: “Big investors are returning. Oil production is rising. And ordinary Nigerians are beginning to feel some relief at fuel stations.”

He added, “Dangote, for example, has put 4,000 CNG-powered tankers on the road to move fuel straight from refineries to depots, cutting out middlemen, saving money, and helping petrol prices drop. Lower fuel prices mean cheaper transport, which also helps bring down food costs.”

The presidential aide said the Tinubu-led government’s “first order gives new tax breaks to attract money into Non-Associated Gas (NAG) projects, midstream gas use, and deep-water drilling. The second order deals with high costs and slow projects that have scared investors away.

“The third fixes Nigeria’s painfully slow petroleum contract process, reducing timelines from years to just six months, stretching contract terms to five years with an extra two-year option, and making sure the Business Facilitation Act is followed to speed up approvals.”

With inflation standing at 24 per cent, a drop from 33 per cent after rebasing the economy, while pump prices range between N890 and N900, Nigerians have witnessed an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis under Mr Tinubu’s watch.

In May, the International Monetary Fund lauded Mr Tinubu’s policies but insisted that poverty and food insecurity remain high in the country.

Similarly, the World Bank’s Africa Pulse report of April 2025 stated that Nigeria, under Mr Tinubu, has the highest number of extremely poor people globally.

The report also predicted a grim future for Nigeria, warning that many more Nigerians will be plunged into poverty by 2027 under Mr Tinubu’s watch.