By Muhammad Mamman
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned that Nigeria will not experience lasting peace unless the government takes decisive action to eradicate poverty.
Marking the International Day for Poverty Eradication in a statement on X, Mr Abubakar described poverty as “humanity’s greatest enemy”, saying it fuels disease, ignorance, insecurity, and hopelessness.
Quoting a Nigerian proverb — “When the poor man is hungry, peace sleeps outside” — he emphasised that defeating poverty is essential for achieving true freedom and dignity for all citizens.
He called for “genuine, deliberate, and people-oriented” solutions, urging the government to extend the fight against poverty into “every home, every community, and every school,” so that ordinary Nigerians are actively involved in solving the crisis.
Mr Abubakar also stressed that his stance on people-centred strategies to tackle poverty remains “strong and consistent,” lamenting Nigeria’s status as one of the world’s most poverty-stricken nations.
His comments come in the wake of the latest World Bank Nigeria Development Update, which revealed that 139 million Nigerians are currently living in poverty.
The World Bank’s Country Director for Nigeria, Mathew Verghis, noted that, despite some economic reforms, many households continue to struggle under the weight of rising prices and food insecurity. He highlighted that poor households—who spend as much as 70% of their income on food—have seen the cost of a basic food basket increase fivefold between 2019 and 2024.
“The challenge is clear: how to translate the gains from reforms into better living standards for all,” Mr Verghis said.
