Dr. Reuben Abati believes Nigerians had unrealistic expectations if they thought Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala would openly criticize President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during her recent visit to Nigeria.
The veteran journalist and former presidential spokesperson shared this view on Arise Television‘s Morning Show on Friday, explaining that as Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Okonjo-Iweala operates as an international diplomat who naturally maintains diplomatic protocol.
During her Thursday visit, Okonjo-Iweala praised President Tinubu’s economic reforms, describing them as “moving in the right direction.”
She made these comments while paying a courtesy call on the president, where she also stressed the importance of economic growth and stronger social safety nets.
Abati noted that her comments align with positions taken by major global financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which have made similar statements about Nigeria’s reforms.
However, he emphasized that people shouldn’t lose focus on the real purpose of Okonjo-Iweala’s visit – launching a $50 million fund designed to increase Nigerian women’s participation in the digital economy.
“Nigerian women need to be further empowered,” Abati said, highlighting the importance of greater involvement in the digital space.
While acknowledging that Okonjo-Iweala echoed the IMF and World Bank’s stance that reforms are working, Abati pointed to deeper challenges.
He argued that Nigeria needs much faster economic growth – potentially reaching double digits – to genuinely transform people’s living standards.
“Removing subsidies and having additional revenue may solve initial problems, but there are more fundamental issues that an international diplomat will not stand in front of the president and spell out,” he explained.
Abati emphasized that the real test of any economic reform lies in its impact on ordinary Nigerians’ daily lives.
Despite positive macroeconomic indicators, he noted that many citizens continue to face significant hardships.
The key challenge, according to Abati, is boosting productivity and diversifying Nigeria’s economy beyond oil dependency to create the kind of prosperity that reaches every citizen.
