Veteran journalist and former presidential aide, Dr. Reuben Abati, has said Nigerians should not have expected Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to speak differently from her recent remarks praising President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Friday, Abati explained that as Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and an international diplomat, Okonjo-Iweala would naturally echo the positions of global financial institutions. “No one should expect that she will go to the president of Nigeria and tell him anything otherwise as an international diplomat,” he said.
He noted that Okonjo-Iweala’s commendation was in line with IMF and World Bank views, which also emphasised the need for social safety nets alongside reforms.
Abati stressed that Nigeria still faces low productivity and overreliance on oil, warning that 3–3.5% growth is insufficient. “We are not relying on statistics, we are relying on reality… there is hardship in the land,” he added.