Aide wey dey work for President, Bayo Onanuga, don tackle Akinwumi Adesina, di outgoing President of African Development Bank, say di tori wey Adesina talk say Nigerians dey suffer pass how e be in 1960 no follow at all.
For one post wey Onanuga drop for X (wey dem dey call Twitter before) on Monday, e talk say di comparison wey Adesina do between Nigeria GDP per person for 1960 and now no correct and e dey mislead.
Onanuga say Adesina claim say Nigeria GDP per capita for 1960 na $1,847 and say today na $824. But Onanuga say na lie, say di real GDP that year na $4.2 billion and Nigeria population na 44.9 million, so per person income na only $93 — no even reach $100.
E talk say na from 1970s Nigeria economy begin improve when oil money start to enter well well. E come give figures say GDP for 1970 na $12.5 billion, for 1975 na $27.7 billion, and by 1981 e don reach $164 billion. Even per person income no pass $880 until 1980.
Onanuga still question where Adesina carry him figures from, and say even the way Adesina take draw conclusion no make sense.
E explain say GDP per capita no fit tell whether people dey enjoy better life or not. E no dey show if people get better hospital, school, road, or transport like train and plane compared to 1960.
E talk say for 1960, only 18,724 telephone lines dey for 45 million people. But now over 200 million Nigerians fit use phone and enjoy digital life.
E ask say, “If MTN fit get over N1 trillion revenue and 84 million people dey use their line in just three months of 2025, how person go talk say Nigeria worse pass 1960?”
Onanuga also accuse Adesina say he talk like politician like Peter Obi, and say him no do proper research before e talk that kind big thing.
E conclude say Nigeria economy today no be mate with wetin dey in 1960, and say even without final figures from NBS, e sure say Nigeria economy don grow at least 50 or 100 times bigger than e be before independence.
